The Fourth Outstanding Person of Huangpu Military Academy

Jiujiang City was not at peace that night. Both the concession and the city were busy with a host of life-threatening matters.

Since Chiang Kai-shek only instructed what to do and left the rest to him (in stark contrast to military command), all civil and military affairs now fell on the First Division.

In the residential areas of Jiujiang City, the First Division, led by political cadres and some soldier assistants, preached, explained and mobilized policies to citizens throughout the city.

Everyone hated the British Concession in Jiujiang, so mass work could be done. The political cadres' job was to convince the citizens to obey the army's orders. Reclaiming the concession likely wouldn't be a peaceful operation. If fighting reached Jiujiang, orderly action by the citizens under the army's command would best protect their lives and property.

Mobilization, the showdown at 3 p.m. tomorrow, meant preparing for the worst. Therefore, the First Division urged all factories, workshops, and shops in the city to at least close for half a day. After much discussion, everyone agreed to a half-day holiday, with some factories even deciding to close all day tomorrow.

At the 1st Division's base, worst-case scenario planning was also underway. Tomorrow afternoon, the 1st Division's barracks would be largely empty. All combat and support troops were to vacate the barracks. If they didn't leave, and the British warships bombarded the 1st Division's base instead of the city, that would be disastrous.

The four field guns of the Fourth Artillery Battalion's Battery were quietly deployed under cover of darkness and, as directed by the divisional staff, deployed at four pre-determined firing positions along the riverbank. All four guns were meticulously concealed and camouflaged, making the likelihood of British warships detecting them before firing extremely low. Two of the guns were even positioned behind a slope, completely invisible to the warships (British river gunboats lacked seaplanes).

Except for the four mountain cannons of the First Division that were confronting the defenders at the intersection of the concession, the remaining ten cannons were also pulled out and two artillery firing positions were set up.

As for the number of troops needed to defeat the British Concession defenders tomorrow, the First Regiment alone would be sufficient. There were a total of 95 British troops in the concession, plus 30 to 40 revolver patrolmen. The heaviest weapons were three Vickers machine guns.

……

But the scene inside the British Concession was quite different: the British consul and the chief officer of the garrison were both staying up late in the telegraph room, desperately trying to communicate with their superiors.

Consul Henderson sent a telegram to the British Legation in Dongjiaominxiang, asking how to deal with the situation. The British Minister replied that Deng Ruzhuo and several other senior executives of Sun Chuanfang's faction should be detained for the time being and would be needed tomorrow. Henderson said that the Chinese were clearly not there to demand anyone; they simply wanted to retake the British Concession.

The British envoy replied half an hour later, stating that under no circumstances would the Chinese rebels be allowed to seize the Jiujiang Concession. Henderson asked if Britain would immediately declare war if the Chinese rebels from Guangzhou actually seized the concession. The envoy replied that Britain had no intention of starting a war between nations in the Far East.

The Yangtze River Fleet replied to the garrison commander of the concession, Geller, and asked him to immediately ask the British envoy whether he still wanted the British concession in Jiujiang.

Geller asked Henderson in the telegraph room, and Henderson sent another telegram to the British minister. The British minister said that of course the British Concession in Jiujiang was wanted, but the prerequisite was that it would not be involved in the war.

The military situation that Geller understood was that his ally, the U.S. Navy's Yangtze Fleet, was unwilling to help. Except for the "Bee", the nearest warship of the British Yangtze Fleet was at least two days' sailing distance from Jiujiang. The "Bee" had only four guns, and it could fire in retaliation, but it could not withstand the large-scale attack of the Chinese army on the concession.

Gaille sent a telegram to the British envoy and the Yangtze River Fleet, saying that given the disparity in strength between the two sides, resistance was pointless and that if the Chinese army really attacked the concession tomorrow, he would surrender. The British envoy said no, Gaille, you must not surrender.

The Yangtze River Fleet said, "Don't be so nervous. I know the Chinese army. They will never dare to use force."

Telegrams were going back and forth, and the telegraph operator was almost smoking from pressing the keys.

……

1st Division Staff.

"It's getting late, it's two in the morning," Chen Tianheng checked his watch. "I see that the General Staff has already arranged everything. Let's all go back to the barracks and sleep."

Chen Mingren and a group of staff thought it seemed to be right, so they began to pack up their belongings and documents.

Lu Deming: "We're taking back the British Concession just a week after entering Jiujiang. Wouldn't that be very sudden for the British?"

Chen Tianheng: "In fact, the commander-in-chief's order was issued the day after we entered Jiujiang. We planned for five days before we started the operation. However, it is better to act earlier than later."

"why?"

"Because Deng Ruzhuo, Li Hongcheng and other military leaders under Sun Chuanfang were still hiding in the concession, we had a very strong legal basis. Furthermore, we had the advantage in terms of military strength, and they were at an advantage, both civil and military," Chen Tianheng said. "If we delayed the attack too much, and these military leaders slowly returned to their territories in Jiangsu and Zhejiang, we would have no choice but to resort to force."

Chen Mingren: "Ah, Commander, do you think there's a high probability that the British will voluntarily hand over the defense of the concession tomorrow?"

Chen Tianheng: "Yes. ... As the old saying goes, life is like a play, and it all depends on your acting skills. I've put in so much effort, the British should learn from my mistakes."

……

British Concession.

Henderson and Geller stayed up until seven in the morning and sent no less than 30 telegrams to the Yangtze River Fleet Command in Shanghai and the embassy in Beijing, but still no clear instructions were given from above.

"Mr. Consul, do you still remember that when the Guangzhou armed forces entered the city, the commander rode on a horse and pointed at several of us in public on the street?" asked Geller.

Henderson: "Of course I remember that pretentious division commander, pointing at me and stirring up the emotions of the people present. I heard he's barely 21. If he were in England, he wouldn't even have graduated from junior military school. Oh, and Commander Chen's performance yesterday seemed exactly the same as it was during the entry ceremony."

Gailer: "So, I'm worried that this division commander, who's less than 21 years old, will impulsively attack the concession. I'm not so sure about the Yangtze River Fleet's claim that the Chinese wouldn't dare use force."

"No, it shouldn't be, it probably shouldn't be..." Henderson's voice gradually became lower. "Chinese government officials and senior generals are still calm..."

The two of them stayed up until 10:30 and had a plate of boiled beans, sausages, fried eggs and mashed potatoes in the telegraph room, which was considered brunch.

"Mr. Consul, do you remember the big strike that affected Guangdong and Hong Kong last year?" Geller suddenly asked again.

Henderson: “Of course I do.”

Geller: "Oh my God, it was that big strike! Our garrison in the Guangzhou Concession caused a serious incident!"

Henderson: What's the matter?

"When the Hong Kong workers' strike began, the citizens of Guangzhou, instigated by the Kuomintang, held a large-scale march. Participants included workers, farmers, students, and the military. A battalion of soldiers—over 300 of them, it was later discovered, were unarmed—appeared in the march. The Guangzhou Concession garrison, however, believed these uniformed soldiers were planning to capture the concession, so they opened fire. This incident caused heavy casualties for the troops. Consul Henderson," Geller said, his voice trembling, "can you guess which unit of the Guangzhou government was the one fired upon by the British, suffering heavy casualties?"

Henderson broke out in a cold sweat. "Could it be... the army that was outside the Jiujiang Concession today? I need to send a telegram to Guangzhou to verify. Also, quickly send a few people to Jiujiang City to see what the Chinese are doing."

……

What else can you do in Jiujiang City? It’s already noon. After lunch, the whole city of Jiujiang will be on holiday.

All citizens, including workers, students, the elderly, children, women and children, were moved to a safer area in Jiujiang City where they could avoid artillery shells under the leadership of the Second Regiment of the First Division.

This kind of safe zone is mainly located at the base of Jiujiang city wall.

Several gaps had been made in the east and southwest walls of Jiujiang City, but the northern wall, facing the Yangtze River, was largely intact. After all, there weren't many streets here that needed to be demolished to connect the inside and outside.

Gunboats fired from the Yangtze River, their rounds trajectories unusually low and flat. According to the General Staff's calculations, no shells could land within a 60-meter radius of the city wall, allowing for shelter. Two-thirds of Jiujiang's fifty thousand citizens must have taken refuge in the blind spot created by this stretch of the wall, standing, sitting on small wooden stools, or even on the ground. In short, everyone had a rare afternoon to socialize and chat with their neighbors.

After seeing this scene, the staff in the concession quietly ran back.

"It all fits together! All the evidence fits together!"

Consul Henderson announced his judgment:

"Why did the division commander provoke us during the entry ceremony? It was because of the firing incident in Guangzhou a year ago. The young division commander's provocation was no accident. This unit has long been planning to seek revenge. Add to that the fact that Jiujiang City seems to have entered a state of war today, and everything is clear."

Geller: “Yes, everything is clear.”

Henderson: "We must thwart this warmongerer's scheme!"

Gailer: "Yes! I will surrender immediately at three o'clock!"

Chapter 122

2:40 p.m.

Consul Henderson of the Jiujiang Concession Consulate and Captain Geller, commander-in-chief of the garrison, stood side by side at the southeast entrance of the concession (also the main entrance), looking at their watches to tell the time while observing the movements on the opposite side.

The opposing troops were indeed some of the elite Chinese forces. Four 3-inch mountain guns were strategically positioned, each one adjacent to a building, out of the way of the British gunboats on the river, yet not quite against the wall to prevent the muzzle blast from bouncing back and injuring anyone. The heavy machine guns were strategically positioned. The long lines of skirmishers on the left and right had been piled with sandbags overnight, providing ammunition for easy firing.

At 2:45, the Chinese army's movements became more frequent. When Gaille saw a group of Chinese combat engineers carrying blasting tubes on their shoulders, he raised the white flag at the right time.

Everyone present saw the white flag raised by the British garrison. Then, an officer from the Chinese army on the opposite side emerged. He vaguely seemed to be a major and a battalion commander. The officer looked around blankly for a long time, then turned and ran back to inform his superiors by phone.

The warmongering, 21-year-old division commander appeared, riding a horse just like yesterday. The rider beside him was also the commander of his division's main regiment, just like yesterday.

Gailer stood still, waiting for the two Chinese infantrymen and two squads to cross the buffer zone and come to him.

……

"In view of the request made by the troops stationed in Jiujiang of the Guangzhou Revolutionary Government of China, on behalf of the British Empire Jiujiang Concession Defense Force, I handed over the defense of the concession to China on November 1, 1926."

"This transfer only represents a change in the person responsible for the concession's defense, and does not represent a change in the concession's authority or nature."

Geller quickly recited the diplomatic notice and handed over the ceremonial item representing the defense rights of the British Concession in Jiujiang: the key to the military camp.

Chen Tianheng and Xu Xiangqian dismounted. After hearing what Gailer said, Chen Tianheng asked:

"Gaille, why don't you fight?"

Geller replied solemnly: "We choose to transfer defense peacefully."

徐向前接过钥匙：“自1926年11月1日下午3时起，九江英租界防务，由我部奉命接管。你部应在11月2日下午3时之前登船离开。”

Chen Tianheng: "Why don't you fight us? You have 95 people, 95 people!"

Gailer chuckled inwardly, feeling incredibly good about being able to suppress the rage of this vengeful Chinese general. "We will not engage in any fighting in the British Concession in Jiujiang. Our troops are ready to board the ships. We don't need to wait until November 2nd; the British Concession garrison in Jiujiang can be evacuated by 5:11 PM today."

Consul Henderson also added: "Britain hopes to coexist peacefully with any political force in China, including the Guangzhou Revolutionary Government."

"It's okay to kill two or three of the 95 of you, right?" Chen Tianheng said, looking at the row of British honor guards on the left, and his hand reached for the holster on his waist. Xu Xiangqian and the two squad leaders of the reconnaissance squad behind him hurried up to stop Chen Tianheng.

Chen Tianheng: "Everyone, have you forgotten the Shaji Massacre?"

"Shaki Tragedy!"

"Shakey!"

Gailer: "The transfer of concession posts and military camps begins now!"

After this minor setback, the transfer of the concession's defenses was incredibly swift. The British posts had already been cleared for a change of personnel, and the barracks' belongings had been packed up. The 95 British soldiers stationed in the concession even formed a small military band. A brief handover ceremony took place at the entrance to the barracks, with the Union Jack lowered from the flagpole and the Republic of China flag raised.

The British band played "God Save the King" and then the "Grenadiers' March".

The Chinese band was the First Army Band, which was specially dispatched to perform "Qingyun Song" (the national anthem of the Beiyang government, but it has not been abolished yet) and "Qingjun Battle Song".

Geller and Henderson attended the ceremony with smiles on their faces. However, Henderson had a slight doubt about the Chinese military band. They had suddenly emerged from Jiujiang City and within minutes had entered the concession for the handover ceremony.

The more he thought about it, the more questions Henderson had in his mind.

"Captain Geller," Henderson said, "did you notice that the Chinese general just now was speaking English?"

Gailer: “……?”

Henderson: "I've heard that when people have a hysterical breakdown and need to curse, they use their native language, not like what you did just now."

The smile on Gailer's face gradually disappeared.

Then the smile disappeared from Henderson's face.

……

Now that things have come to this, what else can we do? Let’s continue to complete the handover matters.

Chen Tianheng also reappeared. Now there was no murderous or hysterical expression on Chen Tianheng's face. Of course, although he no longer shouted for fighting and killing, he still completed the defense replacement procedure of the Jiujiang British Concession very seriously, step by step.

Chiang Kai-shek verbally instructed the British to reclaim the Jiujiang British Concession during a personal meeting, and he did not give any specific instructions on how to do it.

While Chiang Kai-shek was not shy about letting Chen Tianheng handle the matter, he also reminded him that Borodin had suggested it. This was clear. If a violent fight broke out between the two sides during the repossession of the British Concession in Jiujiang, and the situation got out of hand, Chiang Kai-shek would have wanted to distance himself from the matter.

Likewise, Chen Tianheng didn't want a violent clash between the two sides; he wouldn't take the blame for that. Nor did he want a situation like OTL, where the citizens of Jiujiang first demonstrated, were beaten down by the Concession garrison and police, and then the Concession garrison fled due to the large-scale bloodshed, allowing the Northern Expedition to move in and take advantage.

But the British Concession in Jiujiang had to be taken back. Just because the order came from the Communist International doesn't mean we have to do the opposite. This is something a sovereign and independent country must do.

It is best to take it back in your own hands.

The Jiujiang British Concession was the first concession/leased territory reclaimed by modern China. This significance alone warrants its inclusion in middle school history textbooks.

By this time, the citizens of Jiujiang, led by soldiers from the Second Regiment of the First Division, had evacuated to artillery-proof positions, primarily along the riverbank section of the city wall. There were some artillery-proof positions in the city, but they were few and far between. The British warships' main guns had a caliber of 152mm, and their extended-fire grenades could penetrate most of Jiujiang's thinly walled buildings.

It was a rare opportunity for two or three thousand citizens to socialize in close proximity and chat with their neighbors, but the topic of conversation inevitably included what was happening in the British Concession today.

"Citizens of Jiujiang! Fellow countrymen!"

Yuan Zhongxian came to the evacuation area at the base of the city wall to inform the citizens of Jiujiang of the latest news.

"Just now, the British garrison in the British Concession has handed over the defense of the concession to the Northern Expedition Army! The British are boarding the ship to evacuate!"

"The Northern Expedition Army has entered the military camp in the British Concession! Our flag has been raised on the flagpole in front of the camp!"

"From now on, the garrison in the concession is our army!"

Yuan Zhongxian's words made the citizens excited. After a while, another messenger came running over and delivered the latest news to Yuan Zhongxian. Yuan Zhongxian listened and repeated loudly:

"The British warships on the Yangtze River have been de-alerted and are preparing to turn around! Citizens, everything is fine now!"

After hearing Yuan Zhongxian's announcement, few citizens returned home, but many flocked to watch the excitement. Within minutes, the western city wall facing the British Concession was filled with people. From the British Concession in the distance, the faint sound of marches could be heard. The Union Jack had vanished from the tall flagpole in the middle of the British-style building, replaced by the Republic of China flag.

"How could those British soldiers withdraw on their own accord?"

"Because we have machine guns and artillery already set up!" Yuan Zhongxian loudly answered a question from a nearby citizen. "If the British soldiers cooperate, they will automatically withdraw, and they can even shake hands before leaving. If they don't, we will open fire and attack!"

……

On the way back from Jiujiang Economic and Trade Park, Chen Tianheng and Xu Xiangqian rode their horses forward, laughing as they reviewed what had happened today when they had frightened the British Concession garrison.

Well, Jiujiang Economic and Trade Park.

The Jiujiang British Concession was renamed Jiujiang Economic and Trade Park by Chen Tianheng, and the "British Concession" has become history.

Although legally, the Nationalist Government in Guangzhou and the British Government still need to go through several rounds of negotiations - today it can only be regarded as the Chinese army taking over the British Concession, and the treaty has not been revised, but the First Division and the people of Jiujiang can now call the British Concession the Economic and Trade Park.

Xu Xiangqian: "Ye Ting's independent group is in Wuhan. Hankou has concessions from several countries. We started it, now it's their turn to take action."

Chen Tianheng: "Hankou's concessions are also notorious. It's only a matter of time before they are reclaimed. However, the most pressing issue currently being hotly debated by the Guangzhou government is the relocation of the capital."

Xu Xiangqian: "Wuhan, a thoroughfare connecting nine provinces, has a convenient geographical location, but its climate is unpleasant."

Chen Tianheng: "In fact, there's no need to move the capital even now. Guangzhou... Guangzhou is a large enough city and a regional economic center, and can accommodate the necessary government agencies for a capital. It's just that after the unification of the country, in order to balance the north and the south, it may be necessary to move the capital. But before complete unification, Guangzhou can be temporarily maintained."