Anti-Japanese War: From Becoming Chu Yunfei to Rising

Shanxi, Longcheng.

The midday sun shone through the window, casting dappled light on the desk of Chu Xichun, the commander of the Second War Zone.

The air was filled with the stale scent of ink and the dry smell of paper.

Outside the window, the faint cries of vendors on the distant street could be heard.

Commander Chu Xichun of the Second World War Zone sat upright in his office chair, holding a cup of freshly brewed tea in his hands. The rising steam blurred his slightly tired but still dignified face.

At this moment, Chu Xichun felt that he was becoming more and more like his old superior, Ya Yan Laoxi.

"Report."

"Come in."

Su Tao, the secretary of the administrative office, carefully placed a thick report on the table with gentle movements: "This is a summary table of grain prices in major cities across the province this week."

Chu Xichun put down his teacup and slowly ran his finger across the densely packed forms: "Taiyuan, millet has risen to 45 yuan per dou (a unit of dry measure) in legal tender; Changzhi, 40 yuan per dou; Datong, 60 yuan per dou."

As Chu Xichun read, her slightly graying eyebrows gradually relaxed, and a relieved smile appeared on her lips: "Yes, it's stable."

"Compared to the crazy price surge last month, which saw prices change every single day, grain prices have finally stabilized this week."

Su Tao quickly chimed in, "Yes, sir."

"Ever since Chief Advisor Chu ordered the Inspectorate to crack down on hoarding and speculation, executed a group of unscrupulous merchants who defied the order, and ordered all counties to open their grain reserves and release grain into the market, grain prices have been like a rooster with its neck choked, no longer able to crow."

"but."

Su Tao hesitated for a moment, then pointed to a corner of the report: "Although it has stabilized, compared to a few years ago, the price is still about seven times higher. Although the people in the city can afford to eat, they still live a tight life, and there are still some complaints."

"Seven times?"

Chu Xichun snorted softly, took off her glasses, and rubbed her slightly throbbing temples: "Seven times is not bad!"

He stood up, walked to the huge map of China on the wall, and looked toward the remote southwestern hinterland—the mountain city.

"You need to understand, we are currently fighting a national war, in a chaotic world!"

Chu Xichun's voice was filled with solemnity: "Compare it to the southwest, look at the wartime capital."

"Prices there are skyrocketing!"

"A bowl of plain noodles costs several hundred yuan!"

"Grain prices have generally increased twentyfold, and in some places even seventyfold!"

"The legal tender there has long been worthless; it's too hard to even wipe your butt with!"

"And what about us?"

Chu Xichun turned around and pointed out the window: "To be able to maintain a seven-fold increase across the entire province is already a miracle that our administrative office has achieved day and night!"

“But,” Su Tao said with a wry smile, “it’s not easy to explain to the chief consultant.”

Upon hearing this, Chu Xichun gave a helpless, bitter smile.

He sat back down in his chair and took out an urgent telegram he had just received from the drawer.

Chu Xichun sighed and recited, "Grain is the foundation of the people; high prices harm the people."

"Although the current grain price is better than in the rear, it is still a heavy burden for the people of Shanxi Province who have suffered from long-term war."

"Please, sir, find another way to lower grain prices to three times the pre-war level after the autumn harvest, in order to reassure the people."

"three times.."

Su Tao gasped, complaining, "This is too much to ask of people."

"Shanxi is not a major grain-producing province. In order to support the hundreds of thousands of troops on the front lines, most of the grain reserves on the market have already been taken away. It's already good enough to maintain the status quo and not collapse. Why would they want to reduce the grain reserves to three times the amount?"

"Be careful what you say."

Chu Xichun glared at Su Tao, but there was no blame in her tone: "Yunfei is also doing this for the good of the people, which is understandable. Since he has made a request, we have to find a way to explain it clearly and come up with a solution."

Chu Xichun pondered for a moment, then picked up his pen and quickly wrote on a piece of paper: "Draft reply to Quancheng:"

"To General Advisor Chu Xunjian: Regarding the matter of grain prices, you know my heart is full of love for the people."

However, Shanxi Province is located on the Loess Plateau, not in the fertile lands of southern China, and its agricultural output is inherently limited.

"In addition, in order to ensure the fourth phase of the counter-offensive at the front, the province implemented a strict wartime grain requisition policy, which led to the depletion of grain supplies in the market. This is an inevitable result of the imbalance between supply and demand."

"The fact that prices can now be maintained at seven times the original price is already the result of using strategic grain reserves to stabilize the market."

"If prices are forcibly suppressed, it may dampen farmers' enthusiasm for growing grain and even trigger panic selling by grain merchants, resulting in a situation where there are prices but no market, repeating the tragedy of 1942. With the autumn harvest approaching, we should prioritize the autumn harvest."

……

Jinan, the front-line command headquarters.

The night was deep, but the command center was still brightly lit.

Chu Yunfei had just finished a simulation exercise with Fang Ligong regarding the battle of Qingdao.

He was holding a cup of cold tea, standing by the window looking at Jinan City in the night.

"Sir, the Second World War zone has replied."

Li Jingzhong appeared silently behind him and handed him a telegram.

Chu Yunfei took the telegram, glanced at it quickly, his brows furrowing slightly before relaxing: "That makes sense."

"Brother Ligong, look at us, we're having a great time fighting on the front lines, but life is tough for us back home."

Fang Ligong took the telegram, glanced at it, and adjusted his glasses: "Old Chief of Staff, this is also a wise and experienced opinion on national affairs."

"Although we have recovered a large area of ​​land in North China, our real base is still in Shanxi and Shaanxi."

"Economic laws are something that can't be solved by military orders. After all, once the seeds are planted, it takes time to reap the harvest."

"but."

Fang Ligong pointed to the latter half of the telegram: "The 'autumn harvest surplus grain requisition system' mentioned by the old chief of staff is probably a bit too radical, after all, we did it this way last year..."

Upon hearing this, Chu Yunfei's face darkened.

He picked up the second page of the telegram, which contained Chu Xichun's proposed tax plan for this year's autumn harvest.

Given the enormous costs of the fourth counter-offensive, and the fact that the resources required for the future Northeast campaign (Manchuria campaign) will be doubled, the situation remains unchanged.

To ensure the military's supplies are secure, I suggest that this autumn harvest, in addition to the regular land tax collection, continue the "surplus grain requisition system."

[That is, after the people keep enough food for their own consumption and seed grain for next year, the remaining grain will be forcibly purchased by the government at the official price to replenish the military treasury for unforeseen needs.]

"Requisition of surplus grain."

Chu Yunfei muttered these four words, tapping his fingers lightly on the table, making a soft, rhythmic sound.

This system did indeed play a life-saving role during that special period last year (1942).

At that time, a severe drought in Henan spread to Shanxi. In order to ensure the army's high combat effectiveness and prevent too many people from starving to death, it was necessary to centralize and distribute the grain.

But it's nowhere near as bad as last year's severe drought.

"Your Excellency?" Fang Ligong was taken aback: "Although the people may complain if this continues for another year, it should be under control overall. After all, we are making continuous progress, and victory is constantly on the horizon."

"Last year it was a last resort, a lifesaver. What about this year?"

"This year, the weather has been perfect, with favorable conditions for crops, making it a rare bumper harvest."

"The people have been waiting for a year, and now that the grain has finally arrived, are we going to try and steal it?"

"What is 'official purchase price'? In this era of soaring prices, the so-called official price is completely meaningless!"

"This is no different from outright robbery."

Chu Yunfei was somewhat agitated. He paced back and forth in the room: "Brother Ligong, what are we fighting for?"

"Isn't it all about enabling ordinary people to live a better life?"

Fang Ligong nodded deeply, his tone full of concern: "But Your Excellency, if the amount of food requisitioned is insufficient, it could very well affect the later stages of the battle plan." Chu Yunfei waved his hand, his tone resolute: "Reply to the Second War Zone. The wording should be polite, but the attitude must be firm!"

"First, the most difficult period is over. Last year's drought is over, and this year's harvest is sufficient to support us."

"Second, we will resolutely abolish the 'surplus grain requisition system'! This year's autumn harvest will be strictly collected according to the established 'standard land tax,' without taking a single grain of rice more than the people or taking a single penny more from them!"

"Third, if there is a shortage of military rations, I will find a way to deal with it."

Li Jingzhong turned and left: "Yes, Your Excellency, I will go and generate electricity right away."

Fang Ligong stepped forward and lowered his voice to confirm again, "Sir, where are we going to get food at this time?"

Chu Yunfei chuckled: "Brother Ligong, please allow me to keep you in suspense for now. You'll find out soon enough."

……

The following morning, in Changzhi, Shanxi.

Holding Chu Yunfei's reply, Chu Xichun sat in her office, remaining silent for a long time.

The sparrows outside the window chirped incessantly, contrasting with the quietness inside the room.

"Sir," Su Tao asked cautiously, noticing Chu Xichun's unpredictable expression, "What's going on?"

"He refused."

Chu Xichun gave a wry smile and pointed to a pile of account books on the table: "If we don't collect surplus grain and collect it according to last year's standard land tax, we will definitely have a certain shortage of grain. Although it won't affect the army's food supply, there will likely be problems in the rear."

"and"

Chu Xichun stood up, walked to the rows of filing cabinets, and pulled out a document marked "Top Secret": "Don't forget the land reclamation policy previously implemented in southeastern Shanxi and other regions, which stipulated that 'all newly reclaimed land would be exempt from all taxes for three years'!"

How much new land has been reclaimed in Shanxi in the past two years?

"That's hundreds of thousands of acres!"

"These lands all had a bumper harvest this year, but according to the policy, we won't be able to harvest a single grain!"

Upon hearing this, Su Tao's eyes lit up, and he suggested, "Let's say it's a 'special wartime policy,' and now that the fighting has eased a bit, let's levy a little more?"

"Nonsense!"

Chu Xichun sternly shouted to stop them: "A person without integrity cannot stand, and an official without integrity cannot command respect!"

"Since a promise has been made and a policy has been introduced..."

"That's a military order! If we keep changing our orders, the government's credibility will be completely ruined!"

"Then what should we do?" Su Tao spread his hands. "We can't collect surplus grain, and we can't collect taxes on newly reclaimed land. How are we going to fill this hole?"

Chu Xichun paced back and forth in the cramped office with her hands behind her back.

In the first year, tens of thousands of acres of new wasteland were reclaimed, and the three-year tax exemption period had already passed.

This is the first time this year that the autumn harvest has been conscripted, and nobody knows how much can be harvested.

We cannot rely entirely on these newly reclaimed lands for the shortfall, as these lands lack fertility and their yields will certainly be low.

His brows furrowed, and his mind raced through various plans. Suddenly, Chu Xichun stopped in his tracks, his gaze falling on a slogan on the wall: "Resisting Japan and rebuilding the nation is everyone's responsibility."

"There is."

Chu Xichun turned around: "Since we can't 'conquer' them, then let them 'send' us!"

Su Tao looked bewildered: "Give it away?"

"Yes, donate!"

Chu Xichun walked to the table and tapped her fingers on the surface: "Those people who reclaimed the wasteland have enjoyed tax exemption policies in recent years and have surplus grain in their hands."

"They are all reasonable people who know that the soldiers on the front lines are bleeding and fighting desperately."

"We can launch an 'Autumn Harvest Support for the Army and Grain Donation Campaign'!"

"Mobilize the gentry and village chiefs of each village and hamlet to take the lead in donating grain."

"We urge farmers in newly reclaimed land to donate some of their grain to the front lines, within their means!"

“This is nominally a ‘donation’ or ‘support for the army,’ which neither violates the three-year tax exemption commitment nor prevents the grain from being collected.”

Su Tao's eyes lit up, and he gave a thumbs up: "Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant!"

"but."

Su Tao then changed the subject, adding, "If this isn't handled properly, it could easily go awry at the lower levels. What if the lower-level officials, in order to meet their quotas, turn 'voluntary' into 'assignment'..."

"This is what I need to discuss with Yunfei."

……

Jinan, afternoon.

Chu Yunfei had just finished lunch and was about to rest for a while when Li Jingzhong delivered another telegram from Chu Xichun.

"'Supporting the military and donating grain'? 'Spontaneous donations'?"

Chu Yunfei looked at the telegram and a playful smile appeared on his lips: "Our old chief of staff is really like an old tailor who sews and mends, always able to find these scraps of fabric to patch up the holes."

Fang Ligong leaned over to take a look, and said thoughtfully, "Your Excellency, this is not a bad compromise."

"The farmers who have reclaimed the land have indeed benefited greatly, so it is only right that they give back a little bit."

"As long as it sounds good on the surface, everyone can save face."

"But there's a question of degree here."

Chu Yunfei put down the telegram, his expression turning serious: "In China, things are often well-intentioned at the top, but they get distorted when they reach the bottom."

"The so-called 'voluntary' often turns into a quota based on the number of people when it gets to the village head or the head of the household. You can't refuse to donate."

"That would be even more hated than openly levying taxes!"

Fang Ligong nodded: "That's right. Forcibly apportioning donations is ostensibly a donation but in reality an extortion, which hurts the people's feelings the most."

Chu Yunfei walked to his desk, picked up a brush, and wrote eight large characters on the rice paper: "Patriotism is voluntary; forced contributions are strictly prohibited."

"Agreed with the 'support the army and donate grain' plan for the Second World War zone."

"However, we must agree on three rules!"

As Chu Yunfei wrote, he dictated: "First, we must adhere to the principle of absolute voluntariness! Set up an anonymous reporting mailbox. Any cadre found to be engaging in forced levies or even going door-to-door to coerce donations will be dismissed on the spot and severely punished without exception!"

"Second, we must commend them in a grand manner! For farmers who donate grain, we should not only issue certificates of merit, but also have their names recorded in the county annals to give them sufficient political honor. For farmers who are really in dire straits, but who actively support the army, we should give them verbal encouragement, but they should not accept a single grain of rice!"

"Third, next year's budget must take into account the tax exemption for newly reclaimed land. We can't rely on 'begging' to make ends meet every year!"

"Yes!"

Chu Yunfei put down his brush, looked at the setting sun outside the window, his gaze resolute: "Soldiers shed blood at the front so that the people behind them can stand tall and eat their fill. This spirit must not be broken!"

The advance towards Qingdao is progressing steadily. Guo Yanzheng's troops have arrived, and a general offensive can be launched tomorrow.

Haizhou direction.

The artillery units were able to cover the port. They fired shells all day, and the shelling alone killed more than a thousand Japanese soldiers.

The organization of the Japanese troops preparing to evacuate Haizhou dropped to single digits, with large-scale riots and disorganization clearly emerging.

Clearly, there was nothing left for Chu Yunfei to worry about on the North China battlefield.

victory!

Just a matter of time.

Chu Yunfei then inquired about the situation in the Pacific theater: "Brother Ligong, how is the situation in New Guinea?"

"More than half a month has passed. Master Zheng Tingji should have already engaged in combat with the Japanese devils by now, right?"

(PS: The highest grain prices were at the end of the War of Resistance against Japan, which was also when the Nationalist government's finances completely collapsed, reaching an astonishing two hundred times the normal level. Of course, the monetary system had also collapsed by then.) (End of this chapter)