Bright Sword: The Flowers of War

Chapter 212 The aftermath of the war
Kenanpo

"Reporting to the Commander-in-Chief!"

A hurried adjutant, holding a telegram, strode into the cave dwelling, breaking the silence inside.

His voice trembled slightly with excitement, and his face showed an expression of disbelief.

Yan Xishan slowly turned around, a hint of weariness and vigilance flashing in his deep eyes.

He took the telegram but didn't open it immediately. Instead, he glanced at his adjutant and asked in a deep voice, "What's the matter? Has something happened at the front again?"

During this period, due to the Shanxi militia, the Japanese troops in Shanxi were mobilized very frequently. Although it was known that the Japanese were most likely not targeting him, no one could be sure. As long as the Japanese troops continued to move around, Yan Xishan could not feel at ease.

The adjutant swallowed hard, trying to calm himself, and then said in an almost dreamlike tone, "Commander-in-Chief...it's...it's Su Yaoyang's militia from Wutai Mountain...they...they..."

"What happened to Su Yaoyang's militia?" Yan Xishan raised an eyebrow, a sense of foreboding rising in his heart.

As time went on, Su Yaoyang and the Shanxi militia gained more and more influence in Shanxi.

Moreover, they formed their own faction in the Wutai County area. Although they were nominally still under his control as the commander of the Second War Zone, they had actually become too powerful to control. Could it be that this militia had caused some trouble again?
"They...they've established a new air force!"

The adjutant finally uttered the most unbelievable words, his voice rising several octaves with excitement, "And... and just this afternoon, over Mount Wutai, they engaged in a fierce battle with a large-scale Japanese air force attack, and... and severely damaged the Japanese air force!"

"air force?!"

"They severely damaged the Japanese air force?!"

These two words struck Yan Xishan like thunderbolts! His usually calm and collected face instantly contorted with disbelief and astonishment! He even wondered if he had misheard!
"What did you say?! Say it again!" Yan Xishan took a step forward and grabbed his adjutant's arm. His usually deep eyes were now wide open, and his voice was hoarse with shock.

The adjutant was startled by Yan Xishan's sudden action, but he suppressed his excitement and repeated the contents of the telegram, adding more detailed information that he had just learned from the intelligence department:

"Report to the Commander-in-Chief! According to reliable intelligence from Wutai Mountain, Su Yaoyang's militia has somehow acquired a batch of... a batch of extremely advanced American-made fighter jets! Just yesterday afternoon, the Japanese army dispatched at least thirty or forty aircraft in an attempt to bomb their newly built airport in Jiuquhe."

Subsequently, Su Yaoyang's air force took off to intercept, and a fierce battle broke out between the two sides over Wutai Mountain!
Ultimately…the Japanese lost over twenty aircraft, including several Type 97 heavy bombers and fighters, and even a small number of Hayabusa fighters! Su Yaoyang's air force…lost only four aircraft, all pilots of whom parachuted to safety!

"American-made fighter jets?"

"Shot down more than twenty Japanese planes?!"

"We only lost four planes, and all the pilots survived?!"

Every word was like a heavy hammer blow, striking Yan Xishan's heart! He felt his breathing become rapid!

This...how is this possible? !
Where did Su Yaoyang get so many advanced American aircraft? And how did he manage to build an air force? And achieve such brilliant results?! This is simply a fantasy!

The Jin-Sui Army once formed a small air force ("Jin-Sui Air Force") in 1930, which participated in the Central Plains War, but it quickly disintegrated due to its weak strength and defeat in the war.

Although there were nominal attempts to restore it afterward, they failed to rebuild an effective force.

And now, a dragon crossing the river has quietly acquired such a powerful air force and even won such a brilliant victory! This shocked Yan Xishan, and a complex mix of emotions welled up in his heart—envy, jealousy, doubt, and a hint of... unease.

He released his grip on his adjutant's hand and slowly walked to the huge military map, his gaze fixed intently on the locations of Mount Wutai and the Jiuqu River. His mind raced, analyzing the various possibilities and far-reaching impacts that might be hidden behind this sudden news.

If this news is true, it will be a huge turning point for the war of resistance in Shanxi and even North China! The strategic value of a force capable of effectively countering the Japanese air superiority is immeasurable!
But where did Su Yaoyang's air force come from? Was it directly aided by the Americans? Or was it acquired through some other secret channel? Where did their pilots come from? What was their skill level? And how was logistical support handled?
More importantly, now that Su Yaoyang possesses such a powerful force, will his ambition swell as well? Will he still obey the orders of the Second War Zone Command?
Was the appearance of this air force a blessing or a curse for him?

A series of questions flooded Yan Xishan's mind, causing his already furrowed brows, which were already tight due to the war situation, to furrow even deeper.

He remained silent for a long time, and the atmosphere in the cave command post became unusually oppressive because of his silence. The adjutant stood aside, not daring to breathe, nervously awaiting the commander-in-chief's instructions.

Finally, Yan Xishan spoke slowly, his voice low and hoarse: "Immediately... send people to Wutai Mountain to verify the situation! Make sure to find out the origin, size, equipment, personnel composition, and... Su Yaoyang's true intentions of this air force! Remember, it must be done secretly, don't alert them!"

"Yes, Commander-in-Chief!" The adjutant immediately stood at attention, saluted, and left to carry out the order.

After the adjutant left, Yan Xishan stood alone in front of the map for a long time.

His gaze lingered between Mount Wutai, Taiyuan, and Chongqing further away, his eyes filled with a complex light.

Unlike Yan Xishan, whose atmosphere was a complex mix of shock, doubt, and a hint of secret anticipation, the headquarters of the First Army of the Japanese North China Area Army in Taiyuan was shrouded in a gloomy atmosphere of oppression, frustration, and even despair.

Commander-in-Chief Lieutenant General Yoshio Shinotsuka, the First Army Commander who had been in office for less than two months, sat behind his large desk with a livid face, clutching a battle damage report that had just been delivered by the Air Force staff.

His eyes were bloodshot, and the veins on his forehead throbbed with extreme anger and disbelief. His once meticulously combed hair was now somewhat disheveled.

The office was deathly silent; the air seemed to have frozen, making it hard to breathe.

Several senior staff officers and adjutants stood by with their hands at their sides, not daring to even breathe loudly, for fear of angering the commander who was on the verge of exploding.

They all knew that this battle report was nothing short of a resounding slap in the face and a heavy blow that was almost unbearable for the Imperial Japanese Army, which had just achieved a series of "brilliant victories" in the Battle of Wuhan and was feeling triumphant!
"Bagaya road!"

Unable to contain his rage any longer, Yoshio Shinotsuka slammed the battle report on his desk with a deafening roar! The thin sheet of paper seemed to carry endless shame and defeat in his eyes at that moment!
"Useless! A bunch of useless trash! The Empire's most elite air force actually... actually lost to a bunch of Chinese militia without even a unit number?! And lost so many planes and excellent pilots?! That idiot, Tetsuji Iga! How did he command?! Does he even have the face to come back to see me alive?!"

Yoshio Shinotsuka's roar echoed through the office, every word filled with resentment and shame. He could hardly believe his eyes, much less his ears!

Just yesterday, he confidently approved Iga Tetsuji's operational plan, expecting this air force officer, whom he had personally promoted, to destroy the Kujukawa Airport, which dared to provoke him, and remove this thorn in the side of the Imperial Army.

He had even begun planning how to reward those "heroic" pilots at the post-war victory celebration.

However, reality delivered a cruel slap in the face! More than twenty of the Empire's most advanced fighter jets, including the precious Type 97 heavy bomber and the highly anticipated Type 1 "Hawk" fighter, were reduced to wreckage and smoke over Mount Wutai in a small raid!

What pained him even more was that these were all outstanding pilots whom the Empire had trained at great expense! Each one was a treasure! Their loss was undoubtedly adding insult to injury for the already stretched air force of the North China Area Army!

And all of this was caused by a little-known so-called "air force" hastily cobbled together by local militias! The fighter jets they used were supposedly provided by the Americans!

“American…” Yoshio Shinotsuka muttered the name through gritted teeth, his eyes flashing with resentment.

Although he didn't know what model of aircraft the United States "supported" them with, he was certain that it must be the latest and most advanced fighter jet in the United States, otherwise it would not have been able to cause such heavy losses to the Imperial Air Force.

He abruptly stood up and paced restlessly back and forth in his office, like a caged beast. His mind raced, analyzing the reasons for this crushing defeat and the potential chain reaction it might cause.

First of all, this defeat will undoubtedly deal a heavy blow to the morale of the First Army.

Ground troops that have just made some progress on the front lines will inevitably have their morale affected if they learn that their air support has suffered such heavy losses.

Secondly, that damned Jiuquhe Airport, instead of being destroyed, became famous because of this "victory"! It is foreseeable that for some time to come, it will become a Damocles' sword hanging over the First Army, constantly threatening the First Army's rear supply lines and important strongholds.

What troubled him even more was that this suddenly appearing, well-equipped air force was far beyond the capabilities of the First Army's own air force. If it couldn't be eliminated quickly, the consequences would be unimaginable!

But how to eliminate them? With the limited air power that the First Army currently has, going head-to-head with them would be tantamount to throwing an egg against a rock, and would only result in greater losses.

Yoshio Shinotsuka felt a profound sense of powerlessness and defeat. This was a feeling he had never experienced since he stepped onto the battlefield of the invasion of China. For the first time, he realized that this war, which seemed to be in his grasp, was not as simple as he had imagined. Those seemingly weak Chinese people could, at certain times, unleash unexpected and tenacious resistance.

After much deliberation and weighing the pros and cons, Yoshio Shinotsuka showed a hint of helplessness on his face.

He knew that he couldn't solve this difficult problem on his own. He had to ask his superiors for help.

He slowly walked to his desk, picked up the phone, and said to the operator in a tone clearly weary and unwilling, "Connect me... to the North China Area Army Headquarters... I need... I need to speak with General Terauchi Hisaichi..."

Yes, he decided to report this mess, along with the humiliating battle report, to his superior, General Terauchi Hisaichi, Commander-in-Chief of the North China Area Army.

He hoped that the Army Headquarters could mobilize stronger air power or draw elite troops from other war zones to completely eliminate Jiuquhe, this major threat.

Although doing so would mean taking full responsibility for the command failure and the resulting defeat, and could even jeopardize his future career, he couldn't afford to worry about that now. Nothing was more important than quickly mitigating the negative impact of this failure.

When General Terauchi Hisaichi's slightly hoarse and authoritative voice was clearly transmitted through the military telephone line to the headquarters of the First Army in Taiyuan, Yoshio Shinotsuka felt his heart was about to jump out of his throat.

He gripped the cold microphone tightly, his palms sweating with tension, his back already soaked with cold sweat. He knew that what awaited him next was a torrent of reprimands from his boss.

"Shinotsuka-kun, you'd better give me a reasonable explanation! Why, why did the Empire's most elite air force suffer such heavy losses on a small river like the Nine Bends River?"

More than twenty aircraft! Do you know what that means?! It means that the air superiority of the entire Army Group in North China will be severely weakened! How could you, the commander of the First Army, be in such a position?!

As expected, after listening to Yoshio Shinotsuka's fragmented, humiliating, and resentful report, Terauchi Hisaichi remained silent for a moment before unleashing a thunderous rage that stung Shinotsuka's cheeks.

"Hai! Your Excellency! This humble servant... This humble servant has made a mistake in command and misjudged the personnel. Please punish me, Your Excellency!" Yoshio Shinotsuka's voice trembled slightly with shame and fear. He bowed deeply, though Terauchi Hisaichi on the other end of the phone couldn't see it at all.

Inside the office, the staff officers and adjutants who had been trembling with fear because of Yoshio Shinotsuka's rage were now even more afraid to breathe, wishing they could bury their heads in the ground.

When had they ever seen their usually imposing and authoritative commander in such a humble and disheveled state?
Hisaichi Terauchi on the other end of the phone did not seem to be appeased by Yoshio Shinotsuka's confession.

He continued to use harsh language to denounce the First Army's various mistakes and stupidities in this operation, from the oversight in intelligence gathering to the underestimation of the enemy in tactical planning, and the chaos in on-site command. He almost thoroughly scolded Yoshio Shinotsuka, leaving him completely humiliated.

However, despite his outbursts, Terauchi Hisaichi was not a reckless man who only knew how to vent his emotions.

As the commander-in-chief of the North China Area Army, he needed to consider how to quickly reverse the negative impact of this defeat and how to deal with the suddenly emerging, well-equipped air force.

After a long, drawn-out "reprimand" lasting more than ten minutes, Terauchi Hisaichi's tone finally softened slightly, but it still carried a strong sense of dissatisfaction and warning:
"Shinotsuka-kun, you must remember this lesson well! The Empire's resources in North China are limited and cannot withstand your repeated squandering."

That airport at Jiuquhe, and that damned air force, must be dealt with as soon as possible! Otherwise, it will become a major threat to us!

"Hai! Your Excellency! I understand!" Yoshio Shinotsuka quickly replied, secretly relieved. He knew that the Commander-in-Chief had vented his anger, and now it was time to get down to business.

"As for the reinforcements you requested..." Terauchi Hisaichi's voice carried a clear hint of fatigue and helplessness, "The air force that the Army Command can currently mobilize is also very strained."

Every battlefield needs air support; I can't put all my eggs in one basket just because of one small setback.

Hearing this, Yoshio Shinotsuka's heart sank again. If the army group refused to provide substantial reinforcements, how would he deal with Su Yaoyang's air force?

Seemingly sensing Yoshio Shinotsuka's despair, Hisashi Terauchi on the other end of the phone paused before continuing, "However, given the current special circumstances on the Shanxi battlefield and the enormous threat posed by that 'Thunder' air force, the Army Command will quickly transfer some aircraft and experienced pilots from other war zones to supplement your forces."

However, the number won't be large, so don't have too high expectations. Furthermore, once this reinforcement arrives, you must provide me with a practical and feasible battle plan as quickly as possible, ensuring the complete destruction of Jiuquhe Airport and the annihilation of that Chinese air force! If there are any further mistakes, you can apologize to His Majesty the Emperor yourself!

"Dispatch a batch of aircraft and pilots as soon as possible to supplement the force..."

Although Terauchi Hisaichi's tone remained firm and the conditions were extremely harsh, for Shinotsuka Yoshio at this moment, it was undoubtedly the best possible outcome! He was like a drowning man grasping at a straw!

"Hai... Thank you, General! This humble servant... This humble servant will certainly live up to your expectations! I will definitely resolve the Nine-Bend River problem completely in the shortest possible time!"

Yoshio Shinotsuka was so excited that his voice choked up. He bowed deeply again, as if Hisaichi Terauchi were right in front of him.

"Hmph! I hope so." Terauchi Hisaichi snorted coldly, then said impatiently, "That's all for now, I have other things to take care of." With that, he slammed down the phone.
Hearing the busy tone from the receiver, Yoshio Shinotsuka slowly straightened up, letting out a long sigh, feeling as if all the strength had been drained from his body. He slumped into his chair, cold sweat still dripping down his forehead.

Despite being severely reprimanded by his superior and losing face, he had at least secured a glimmer of hope. With new planes and pilots joining the fleet, he was confident and capable of giving that damned Su Yaoyang another chance!
(End of this chapter)