Bright Sword: The Flowers of War

Chapter 324 I will definitely help out.
Pi Ruoyu put down his baton. The air in the operations room remained heavy, and everyone had a furrowed brow.

However, Su Yaoyang, who was at the center of the storm, did not show the slightest ripple on his face.

He straightened up, looked around at his capable subordinates who all looked serious, and suddenly smiled.

"What's wrong? Everyone looks like they're at a funeral." He said in a joking tone, "Didn't we play quite well?"

"Good?" Li Gaoyuan couldn't help but step forward and say, "Commander, Taiyuan is almost lost, how can this be good?"

"Of course."

Su Yaoyang turned his gaze to him, a slight smile in his eyes, "Gao Yuan, let me ask you, if we rush in now and fight the Japanese head-on, and we suffer heavy casualties, but manage to save Taiyuan, who will benefit?"

Li Gaoyuan was taken aback, and subconsciously replied, "Of course it's... Commander Yan's."

"Isn't that the end of it?" Su Yaoyang shrugged. "We put up money, manpower, and even our lives to protect Yan Laoxi's territory, and he'll turn around and make things difficult for us? There's no such thing as a free lunch."
To paraphrase Li Yunlong, we can't do business that loses money.

He then looked at Cheng Rufeng: "Old Cheng, all those precious things of yours, every gallon of aviation fuel, every bomb, is money. Throwing them into the bottomless pit of positional warfare, just to make a sound? That's such a waste."

Cheng Rufeng, with a cigarette dangling from his lips, nodded thoughtfully.

Su Yaoyang then walked to the huge wall map, where a densely marked map of the Japanese army's logistics supply routes was made up of aerial reconnaissance photos.

He picked up a red pencil and, instead of pointing it at Taiyuan, drew several large circles behind the three Japanese armies.

Those locations included several key bridges on the Zhengtai Railway, a temporary material transfer station near Yangquan, and a field airfield hidden in a valley.

"Brothers, remember this: we are not fighting an eighteenth-century line of executions, but a twenty-century total war."

His voice wasn't loud, but it reached everyone's ears clearly: "The fighting power of an army does not depend on how many guns it has, but on how long its logistics can support it in fighting."

These three Japanese divisions were like three hungry wolves, looking fierce, but each of them was bound by a fragile chain called a 'supply line.'

His red pencil traced a path along the railway line extending from Shijiazhuang, like a sharp scalpel.

"What we need to do is very simple. First, wait until Yan Xishan is crying and begging for mercy, and he has prepared all his assets to offer to us, then we will not move a single soldier."

"Second, fight."

Su Yaoyang's eyes suddenly sharpened, and he pointed the pencil tip heavily at the Yangquan supply transfer station. "Once they pay the price, Lao Cheng, your flight squadron will be the main character."

"I don't want you to bomb any positions; I want you to drop all your bombs on these places! Bomb their railways, bridges, warehouses, and troop carriers! I want every Japanese soldier on the front lines to go hungry and receive only empty ammunition boxes!"

He turned around and looked at Li Gaoyuan beside him.

"Old Li, wait until the Japanese devils are so hungry they're dizzy and can't tell east from west before your troops move in! I want you to be like a sharp knife, not to gnaw on tough bones, but to cut off their limbs, capture prisoners, and seize spoils! I want to fight a battle with the lowest cost and the highest return!"

Finally, his gaze fell on Pi Ruoyu.

"Old Pi, go and draft a telegram right now to tell our Commander Yan. We're willing to send troops. But all of this is conditional on paying up."

Our Commander Yan has served in the Beijing Garrison in Shanxi for decades; his net worth must be at least tens of millions, if not a hundred million. We don't ask for much; thirty million silver dollars shouldn't be too much, right?

His words made all the officers in the operations room suddenly realize the truth, and their excitement and admiration turned into admiration.

It turns out that this seemingly precarious situation was, in the eyes of the commander-in-chief, nothing more than an excellent business opportunity to raise prices on the spot!

"The Commander-in-Chief is wise!"

Li Gaoyuan slapped his thigh excitedly and grinned from ear to ear.

Cheng Rufeng took a deep drag on his cigarette and grinned, "Commander, just you wait and see! I guarantee that within three days, we'll make sure those Japanese trains can't move an inch!"

Su Yaoyang nodded in satisfaction, but said seriously, "Don't be too happy yet. If you want to bomb the Japanese logistics, you must first seize air superiority."

In order to retake Taiyuan, the Japanese have deployed more than 300 aircraft this time. If we divide them in half, we will have at least 160 or 170 aircraft that can compete with us for air superiority.

Taking down these fighter jets won't be easy; your mission is very heavy, especially after Old Du left. The burden on your shoulders is even heavier now.

"I will." Cheng Rufeng nodded solemnly.

Su Yaoyang suddenly remembered something, and shifted his gaze from the map to Cheng Rufeng.

"By the way, Lao Cheng," he asked, "how's the formation of the Third Flight Squadron going?"

Upon hearing the words "Third Flight Squadron," Cheng Rufeng immediately perked up. He sat up straight and shouted:

"Rest assured, Commander, the Third Flight Squadron is almost ready to be formed."

The new pilots have completed their solo flight training and basic tactical coordination.

"As for the aircraft... the batch of new planes you approved last time has all arrived, and the ground crew is doing the final adjustments. I estimate that in two months at most, they'll be fully operational and ready to take to the skies to fight the Japanese!"

These words instantly propelled the already high-spirited atmosphere in the operations room to a new climax.

Li Gaoyuan, Pi Ruoyu, and all the other officers present wore knowing smiles.

As ground troops, they naturally wanted their air force to be as strong as possible so that they could fight the Japanese better.

For the officers and soldiers of the Shanxi militia, the flight squadron deserves the most credit for the militia's development to its current state.

After more than two years of relentless investment, the flight squadron that Su Yaoyang built has basically gotten on track.

In particular, the "Jinsha Aviation School" built at Jinshaling Airport was practically a highly efficient pilot-producing machine, continuously providing fresh blood for the Shanxi militia on the front lines.

Although the Shanxi militia's air force has always consisted of only the "Thunder" fighter squadron (numbered 1st), the "Corsair" fighter squadron (numbered 2nd), and an independent 1st bombing squadron and transport squadron.

Over the past two years, these three squadrons have made great contributions, but as their missions have become increasingly heavy, their manpower has been insufficient. This is why Su Yaoyang decided to establish another flight squadron to cope with the increasingly severe air pressure.

Jinsha Flight School consistently provides more than two hundred qualified flight trainees each year.

Even if not all trainees have the talent to pilot high-performance fighter jets, it is more than enough to select fifty or sixty elites to supplement the fighter squadron.

With the increasing number of pilots, the establishment of a brand-new fighter squadron became a natural progression.

Su Yaoyang looked at Cheng Rufeng with satisfaction and nodded.

"Very good. Tell the lads of the Third Battalion to be quick and efficient."

A slight smile played on his lips. "I'll probably arrange their graduation ceremony over Yangquan. I hope their first mission will be to send the Japanese supply train into the sky as a celebratory fireworks display."

"Yes, Commander!"

Cheng Rufeng saluted. "I guarantee these guys won't let you down! They've been itching to show the Japanese devils the power of our new fighter jets!"

"Beep beep... beep beep beep... beep beep..." Just as everyone in the operations room was rubbing their hands together, ready to go all out, a radio station in the corner, which was specifically responsible for receiving the highest priority telegrams, suddenly started beeping urgently.

Pi Ruoyu, who was writing at his desk, paused and looked up.

A skilled telegraph operator quickly removed his headset, picked up the newly translated telegram, strode over to Pi Ruoyu, and whispered a few words.

A knowing smile appeared on Pi Ruoyu's face. He took the thin telegram and walked up to Su Yaoyang.

"Commander."

He handed over the telegram, a hint of a smile in his voice, "The fish has taken the bait."

Su Yaoyang took the telegram and glanced at it.

There were two telegrams, both very brief.

The first telegram came from Taiyuan, sent by Yan Xishan. The wording of the telegram had completely lost the reserve it had a few days earlier, replaced by urgency and panic.

The second telegram came from the Eighth Route Army headquarters. It was more direct, informing Su Yaoyang that the deputy chief of staff of the Eighth Route Army headquarters had set off and was traveling day and night to Wutai County, hoping to "discuss the grand plan of resisting Japan" with Commander Su.

"Heh..." Su Yaoyang chuckled and casually placed the telegram on the table. "This old Yan is really a typical opportunist."

Now you know it's a good time to sell? Where were you before?
Li Gaoyuan leaned over for a glance, then curled his lip in disdain: "Chief, I think he's the type who won't learn until he's faced with a death sentence! How about we leave him hanging for another day?"

"No, there's no need."

Su Yaoyang shook his head. "The heat is just right. If it's cooked any longer, the fish will burn and the meat won't taste good."

He turned to Pi Ruoyu and gave him new instructions.

"Old Pi, have you finished drafting your telegram?"

"It's ready, Commander." Pi Ruoyu immediately handed over a newly written telegram draft.

Su Yaoyang took it, quickly glanced through it, and nodded in satisfaction.

The telegram was very simple; it told Yan Xishan that if he wanted me to help him, he could... pay me at least 30 million.

"Send it to him according to this."

Su Yaoyang handed the list back to Pi Ruoyu, saying, "Tell Commander Yan that this is our only condition for sending troops. If he agrees, I will send troops immediately. If he doesn't agree, he can just wait to open the city gates to the Japanese."

"Yes!" Pi Ruoyu immediately turned around and went to do it.

After the meeting, everyone dispersed, and Su Yaoyang also went home to rest.

The very next morning, before he had even gotten out of bed, he heard his subordinates report that representatives of the Eighth Route Army had arrived.

Upon hearing that the Eighth Route Army representative had arrived, Su Yaoyang dared not delay. He quickly washed up and met with the representative in the living room.

At this time, he also met the deputy chief of staff, whom he had long admired.

In the living room, a figure was already waiting there.

The man was wearing a faded gray Eighth Route Army uniform, and his cloth shoes were covered in mud, indicating that he had traveled a long distance.

He was of medium height and had a thin face, but his back was ramrod straight. His eyes, especially those hidden behind round glasses, were bloodshot but still sharp and deep, as if they could see into people's hearts.

Beside him stood only four equally travel-worn guards.

Despite it being their first meeting, Su Yaoyang immediately recognized the other person's identity.

"Deputy Chief of Staff, I've heard so much about you. You must be tired from your journey." Su Yaoyang greeted him with a warm smile and extended his hand.

The deputy chief of staff also extended his hand and shook it firmly, while his gaze subtly sized up the legendary militia leader.

Young and confident, his eyes lacked the ruthlessness of warlords of this era, instead radiating a vibrant spirit rarely seen in this time.

"Commander Su, you're too kind." The deputy chief of staff's voice was slightly hoarse, but very steady. "With the country in peril, we dare not complain."

Seeing the other party's tired appearance, Su Yaoyang said politely, "Deputy Chief of Staff, you have come from afar and must be exhausted. Why don't you rest here for a day and we can talk business again tomorrow?"

"Thank you for your kind offer, Commander Su, but the military situation is urgent. Let's talk business first," the deputy chief of staff said with a smile.

As a senior general, he was well aware that the current battle situation was changing every minute.

Seeing that he insisted, Su Yaoyang stopped trying to persuade him.

"Alright. But food is the most important thing, no matter what. Someone, prepare breakfast. Let's talk while we eat."

Breakfast was served quickly.

Golden-fried dough sticks and steamed buns, sweet soy milk and porridge, runny poached eggs, and steaming hot milk and coffee.

The deputy chief of staff looked at the food in front of him, smiled slightly, picked up a steamed bun, and began to eat it slowly.

He ate very politely, but quickly, clearly because he was starving.

After drinking a glass of hot milk and regaining some energy, he put down his utensils and got down to business.

"Commander Su, I am here on behalf of our military headquarters."

The Japanese army has launched a full-scale siege of Taiyuan. "If the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold," the Eighth Route Army will not stand idly by and has decided to send troops to provide flanking support.

He looked at Su Yaoyang with sincere eyes, "But as you probably know, our army is poorly equipped and severely lacks ammunition. Therefore, headquarters hopes that Commander Su can, out of consideration for our shared anti-Japanese armed forces, provide our army with a batch of weapons and ammunition, and... provide air support when necessary."

After listening, Su Yaoyang picked up his coffee cup, blew on it to cool it down, and then gave a very hearty smile.

"I thought it was something serious. Of course, no problem!"

Seeing the other person's surprised expression, Su Yaoyang laughed, put down his coffee cup, and leaned forward slightly.

"No matter who it is, as long as they are fighting the Japanese, I, Su Yaoyang, will definitely lend my support."

Weapons and ammunition, no problem.

Air support, even better.

"My plane can provide air support to you whenever you need it."

The deputy chief of staff finally breathed a sigh of relief, and a genuine smile appeared on his face.

(End of this chapter)