Bright Sword: The Flowers of War

Chapter 271 China will win, Japan will lose

Two days later, Guizhou

The steel dragon, stretching for several kilometers and kicking up dust along the way, finally slowly entered this ancient city that guards the vital passage of the Yangtze River.

Hundreds and thousands of military trucks and armored vehicles, like giant beasts returning to their nest, parked orderly outside the city. The moment their engines were turned off, the whole world seemed to fall silent.

After marching for several days, even without encountering major battles along the way, everyone's nerves were stretched to the limit.

Su Yaoyang pushed open the car door and jumped out of the jeep. His military boots made a dull thud as they landed on the solid ground of Guizhou.

Only at this moment did the vague sense of crisis that had been hanging over my heart completely dissipate.

He stretched, and his joints cracked with a series of crisp sounds.

"Commander!"

Huang Guantao strode over, saluted, and said, "The troops have all entered the designated area and are ready to rest at any time!"

"Well done." Su Yaoyang nodded and patted the dust off his clothes. "Let the brothers relax a bit, but don't let your guard down."

After saying that, he led a few guards toward the city gate of Guizhou.

He needs to meet with the high command of the Fifth War Zone to coordinate subsequent defense and evacuation issues.

However, when he was still a hundred meters away from the city gate, he was so shocked by the sight before him that he stopped in his tracks.

Under the towering gates of Guizhou, a large, dark mass of people stood.

The leader, dressed in a crisp second-class general's uniform, stood tall with a resolute face; he was none other than Li Zongren, the commander-in-chief of the Fifth War Zone.

Behind him stood several rows of high-ranking Kuomintang generals, including Bai Chongxi, Li Pinxian, and Sun Lianzhong, who would later become famous. The stars on their shoulders shone brightly in the sunlight, forming a wall of generals.

This is quite a spectacle... isn't it?

Su Yaoyang was stunned. He had imagined all sorts of scenarios for the meeting, but he never expected that Li Zongren would welcome him with such a high level of courtesy, almost like welcoming a triumphant hero.

Before he could react, Li Zongren had already led his group of brilliant generals to quickly come forward.

"Mingxi...we've been waiting for you here for quite some time!"

Li Zongren's voice was loud and sincere. He walked up to Su Yaoyang and, before Su Yaoyang could salute, he took the initiative to reach out and firmly grasp Su Yaoyang's hands.

"Commander Li, what are you doing..." Su Yaoyang was flattered and hurriedly tried to free his hand to give a military salute.

"Oh...no need for such formalities!"

Li Zongren shook his hand vigorously, his eyes filled with complex and sincere emotions, including gratitude and a hint of guilt.

"On behalf of the Fifth War Zone and the hundreds of thousands of soldiers who have been safely transferred, I thank you!"

Thank you and your Shanxi militia for risking your lives to cover the army's retreat, acting as a lone force to hold off the enemy! We, Delin, will forever remember your noble deeds!

As soon as he finished speaking, the dozens of generals behind him stood at attention and gave Su Yaoyang a standard military salute.

Looking at Li Zongren and the other generals saluting him, Su Yaoyang suddenly felt his eyes well up with tears, as if all the hard work and sacrifices of the past few days had been rewarded.

Under the sunlight, the shadows of dozens of high-ranking generals were stretched long, and opposite them stood Su Yaoyang, who was standing at attention and returning the salute.

The city of Guizhou was brightly lit under the night sky, sweeping away the gloom of war. The largest restaurant in the city, "Wangjiang Tower," had been entirely booked by the Fifth War Zone Command, with guards stationed every three steps and sentries every five steps outside, making it heavily guarded.

Inside the building, however, it was bustling with activity and filled with warmth.

To express his sincerest gratitude, Li Zongren specially hosted a grand banquet to entertain Su Yaoyang and all his officers of regimental rank and above.

In the spacious banquet hall, more than a dozen huge mahogany round tables were put together to form an extra-long banquet that could accommodate nearly a hundred people.

The table was covered with a clean white tablecloth and filled with a dazzling array of Guizhou specialties.

There are Zigui rice dumplings with a golden color and a fragrant aroma.

There's also the Three Gorges Sweet Potato Crisp, which has a sweet and crispy texture that makes you want to reach out and grab it as soon as you see it.

And the marbled, translucent cured pork, exuding a rich smoky aroma;
And then there's the "liangxia" (a type of cold dessert) made with cool well water, served in a glass bowl, looking like translucent white jade.

There's also Heza, a dish made by cooking local soybean residue with fresh, tender vegetables, and various river fish dishes prepared in different ways, all freshly caught from the Yangtze River...

The dishes, plentiful and steaming hot, exuding a rich aroma, created a vibrant and delicious feast.

For Su Yaoyang and his men, who had been eating dry rations and canned food for more than half a month on the front lines in Yichang, and constantly rolling around in mud and artillery fire, the scene before them was nothing short of paradise.

"Brothers, don't be shy... let's eat!"

Su Yaoyang was the first to pick up his chopsticks, grab a large piece of succulent cured meat, and stuff it into his mouth.

At his command, Huang Guantao, Cheng Rufeng, and other officers of the Shanxi militia rolled up their sleeves and threw themselves into the battle for the food.

For a moment, the only sounds in the banquet hall were the crisp clinking of chopsticks against bowls and plates, and the sounds of everyone enjoying their food.

Li Zongren, Bai Chongxi, and other generals from the Fifth War Zone simply watched with smiles, without touching their chopsticks.

They knew that for these soldiers who had just emerged from blood and fire, no amount of polite words could compare to a hot, hearty meal.

Although Su Yaoyang ate heartily, he wasn't rude. He ate until he was about 70% full, feeling a warm glow in his stomach, and the fatigue from days of fighting had dissipated considerably.

Only then did he put down his chopsticks with satisfaction and wipe his mouth with a napkin.

He looked up and saw Li Zongren smiling at him, his eyes full of appreciation and kindness, and he couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed.

He scratched his head and said with a somewhat naive tone, "I haven't had a hot meal in days. It's so rare to have a decent meal, so I lost my composure. I'm really sorry to have made you laugh, sir."

Li Zongren smiled and waved his hand, indicating that he didn't need to worry about it.

"Mingxi, what are you saying!"

You are all soldiers who fought for our country and made great contributions. Even if we brought all the best things in Guizhou City, it wouldn't be enough to repay your kindness! Come, let me toast you!

With that, he picked up his wine glass and drank it all in one gulp.

Su Yaoyang quickly raised his glass in return.

After several rounds of drinks and several dishes, the atmosphere of the banquet gradually shifted from the initial ravenous eating to lively conversation.

After Su Yaoyang finished eating and drinking, he put down his chopsticks and began chatting with Li Zongren, Sun Lianzhong and other Kuomintang generals.

The banquet hall was filled with lively conversation and a warm atmosphere. After a few drinks, the conversation flowed freely.

Sun Lianzhong, known for his skill in defense and the iron-willed man who earned his fame in the Battle of Taierzhuang, sighed heavily at this moment, downed the wine in his cup in one gulp, and looked worried.

"Ugh……"

He remarked with emotion, "Brother Mingxi has relieved the siege of Yichang and thwarted the Japanese invaders' ferocity."

Looking across the country, the war situation remained dire. Shanghai, Nanjing, Xuzhou… the capital had fallen, and vast swathes of territory were lost. When would this war ever end?

His words were like a bucket of cold water poured on the enthusiastic atmosphere. Many of the generals present felt the same way and nodded in agreement.

"Yes, Commander-in-Chief Sun is absolutely right. The Japanese planes and artillery are too powerful; the firepower of one division is stronger than that of our entire army."

"Our troops fought against the Japanese invaders on the southern front, and the frontal positions often changed hands several times a day, resulting in heavy casualties..."

In an instant, the optimistic atmosphere was replaced by a heavy and pessimistic one.

Su Yaoyang listened quietly the whole time. At this moment, he gently placed the wine glass in his hand on the table, making a soft "thud" sound.

The sound wasn't loud, but it instantly drew everyone's attention.

"General Sun, fellow generals,"

Su Yaoyang looked around and said, “I understand your concerns. However, I believe we need not be so pessimistic about the situation.”

Everyone was taken aback, even Li Zongren cast a curious glance at them.

Su Yaoyang stood up, his eyes shining brightly: "Please take a look, everyone."

The current situation is one of weakness and strength, a fact that needs no evasion.

But the outcome of a war is not determined solely by the strength of a single force at a single time or place.

He raised his voice: "Japan, a tiny island nation, has national strength and resources that are like a tree without roots or water without a source."

It is an industrialized nation, but its industries rely on imports of oil, steel, and rubber. Every additional day of war increases its consumption and weakens its national strength. This is its inherent Achilles' heel!

Then he continued:
"On the other hand, China, though a weak country, is a great power."

We have a vast territory and abundant resources, a population of 400 million, and are a typical agricultural country.

What does this mean? It means we have infinite strategic depth and an almost inexhaustible supply of manpower.

More importantly, even if we lose the coastline and retreat inland, we can still rely on our vast land to be self-sufficient.

Just as General Baili said, we can use space to buy time and drag the Japanese invaders into a protracted war of attrition.

In the end, the first to be dragged down will inevitably be resource-poor Japan!

These words drew frequent nods of agreement from the generals present.

Su Yaoyang changed the subject, becoming even more smug: "Not long ago, I came across a magnificent article entitled 'On Protracted War'."

His writing is insightful and profound, dissecting the underlying principles thoroughly, which enlightened Yaoyang!

The article states that the War of Resistance against Japan will inevitably go through three stages: 'strategic defense', 'strategic stalemate', and 'strategic counter-offensive'.

We are now in the most difficult phase of 'strategic defense'.

But as long as we can unite as one and get through this period, dragging the war into a 'strategic stalemate,' then the balance of power will shift, and that will be the time for us to accumulate strength and finally launch a 'strategic counter-offensive'!
Therefore, Yaoyang dares to assert—China will surely win, and Japan will surely lose!

"China will prevail, Japan will be defeated!"

These eight words, like a thunderclap, exploded in everyone's ears.

The banquet hall fell into a deathly silence at first, then burst into a buzz of discussion.

(End of this chapter)