Did he trick the young marshal into becoming sworn brothers and then go south to Huangpu Military Ac

Grand Marshal's Mansion, Conference Room.

Smoke swirled in the air, and the few rays of light that shone through the blinds were cut into beams by the smoke.

On either side of the conference table, key members of the headquarters sat in rows.

Before the smoke of the first wave of political maneuvering after the old man's death had even cleared, another round of political infighting was already eagerly beginning.

Lin Qi, dressed in a gray Zhongshan suit, swept his cold gaze across everyone present.

"Gentlemen, you have all witnessed the striking power of the fifty fighter jets displayed in the Battle of Dongjiang."

His voice was calm and steady, without a trace of extra emotion.

"But I must remind everyone that we cannot rely on mercenaries who are paid to do things forever. I propose that we immediately begin establishing our own aviation school to train native pilots!"

After these words were spoken, the conference room fell into a brief silence.

On the left side of the table, Mr. Wang snapped his signature ivory folding fan shut with a "snap".

He quickly exchanged a glance with Hu, who was sitting opposite him.

Both men were seasoned veterans who had spent half their lives navigating the quagmire of politics. Almost instantly, they sensed the chilling expansion of power behind Lin Qi's proposal.

With the Ishii Arsenal and the Whampoa Military Academy in his hands, Lin Qi was already an untouchable porcupine.

Now he's reaching for the skies again, wanting to build his own team of pilots?

If this aviation school is really built, in time, the entire headquarters will be completely under Lin's control.

At that time, what voice will these civil officials, who don't even have firewood sticks in their hands, have?

"Takumi, isn't your suggestion a bit too hasty?"

The Wang family was the first to launch an attack.

He tapped his folding fan lightly on the table, a fake smile of seasoned shrewdness plastered on his face: "Everyone knows that the air force is indeed a good thing. But aren't our current fifty fighter jets all flown by highly paid foreigners? They are experienced, skilled, and have performed very well in the Dongjiang campaign. Why waste huge sums of money building some kind of aviation school at this critical juncture?"

Hu immediately followed suit, adjusting his glasses and frowning, feigning distress: "Yes, Tuozhi, you know the current financial situation of headquarters. So many infantrymen are still wearing straw sandals, and we can't even provide each of them with a Hanyang rifle. You want to set up an aviation school now? Site fees, fuel costs, instructor salaries—aren't they all money-guzzling beasts? Even if you put in a lot of effort to train these young students, where are you going to get so many planes for them to fly? We can't just let them draw planes on the ground and stare blankly, can we? I think it's best to postpone discussing this matter for now."

The two men, working in unison, ostensibly expressed their concern for the military budget at headquarters and used the current difficulties as a pretext, but in reality, every word they uttered was aimed at framing Lin Qi's proposal as "ambitious" and "wasting military resources."

They attempted to use high-sounding rhetoric to halt Lin Qi's expansion in the military field.

Lin Qi looked coldly at the two people and let out a sneer in his heart.

He did not immediately refute, but instead turned his gaze to Chang Shi, who was sitting on the right side of the conference table in military uniform.

As the principal of the Whampoa Military Academy and the nominal top military leader of the headquarters, Chang crossed his arms, looked down at his nose and mind, and remained silent and indifferent to the difficulties caused by Wang and Hu, choosing to observe coldly from the sidelines.

At that moment, Chang was making a meticulous calculation.

"Lin Tuozhi, Lin Tuozhi, the pressure you exert on me is just too strong."

Chang was secretly making plans in his heart.

Although he needed Lin Qi to support him, he was absolutely unwilling to see Lin Qi's personal power expand without limit.

If Lin Qi were to establish the aviation school, wouldn't the future air force become Lin Qi's private army?

"Since those two old foxes, Wang and Hu, are willing to play the villain, I'll just stand by and watch. I'll use their words to put your arrogance to a minimum and let you know that you're not the only one in charge here."

Chang decided not to express her opinion, hoping to make Lin Qi back down.

Looking at the silent Chang Shi, Lin Qi felt even colder.

"What a bunch of short-sighted politicians. Even at this point, their minds are still filled with internal strife and scheming."

Lin Qi disdained to force Chang to make a statement, and did not reveal his trump card that a hundred new fighter jets were about to arrive in Hong Kong.

Explanations are useless when dealing with narrow-minded people; the only way is to use a fair and aboveboard strategy to break their scheming.

"Lord Wang, Lord Hu."

Lin Qi said calmly, his eyes instantly turning into sharp swords drawn from their sheaths, carrying a suffocating sense of pressure as he stared directly at Wang and Hu.

"You think hiring foreigners is a good deal? You think they're readily available fighting force?"

Lin Qi's voice suddenly rose, like a resounding slap across the two men's faces: "Completely wrong! Those white mercenaries don't recognize the Blue Sky with a White Sun flag of headquarters; they only recognize the colorful pounds and dollars! When the tide is going, of course they're willing to drop bombs for the reward. But if we face a tough battle in the future, a fierce struggle for air superiority, do you think these foreigners who risk their lives for money will be willing to fight for us and the enemy?!"

"When that time really comes, they'll run faster than anyone else! If our sky is supported by this group of profit-driven foreigners, then we're handing over the lifeline of the National Revolution, and the heads of 400 million compatriots, cleanly cleaned, to the guillotine of the foreign powers!"

Lin Qi slammed his hand on the conference table, startling everyone.

"Without its own pilots, without daredevils willing to crash their fighter jets into enemy ships, the so-called air force is nothing but a paper lantern that can be punctured with a single poke!"

This resounding rebuke, imbued with iron will and righteous indignation, shattered the excuses of the Wang and Hu families.

The two men's faces turned pale and then red, suffocated by Lin Qi's accusation of "betraying the lifeline of national defense," unable to utter a single word in rebuttal.

Sitting to the side, Lin Zichao looked at his brilliant nephew with admiration in his eyes.

He couldn't stand Wang and Hu's petty scheming, so he cleared his throat, just about to use his prestige to help Lin Qi out of the predicament.

However, Lin Qi turned his head slightly and gave Lin Zichao a reassuring look, indicating that he did not need to speak.

Lin Qi knew that it was useless to talk about righteousness with politicians; he had to use their own interests to break through their weak defenses.

He turned his head, his gaze locking onto the Chang family member who was pretending to be deaf and dumb. The coldness on his face vanished instantly, replaced by a meaningful smile.

"Principal Chang."

Lin Qi's voice wasn't loud, but it carried the warmth of brotherhood.

"I think that when it comes to building an aviation school, we shouldn't bother two different institutions. Since the Whampoa Military Academy already has a foundation in infantry and artillery, I don't think we should start from scratch with the newly established aviation school."

Lin Qi stared into Chang's eyes and dropped a bombshell, word by word, that caught everyone off guard:

"I suggest that the aviation school be directly merged into Huangpu, and considered as a branch of Huangpu's aviation department! You will still be the principal of this branch! All personnel arrangements, enrollment plans, and even future graduating pilots will be under your unified command and control, Principal Chang!"