On the other side, after receiving instructions from headquarters, Xiao Yun and Wang Yan began to contact Yan Lao Xi.
They roughly mentioned their ideas and conditions to Yan Lao Xi, but the specifics would have to be finalized after Yan Lao Xi sent someone to meet and discuss them.
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“Take a look, my good student has pulled off another big move in Jinbei, restoring Shuozhou. Now Yan'an is asking for an award for him.
They hope our National Government will upgrade his unit to a full division. What do you think?”
In the presidential palace in Chongqing, Chiang Kai-shek held a telegram and looked around at the people sitting before him.
These were his trusted advisors. Many major decisions of the National Government were made by him and then refined by these advisors.
“Chairman, the Eighth Route Army has always had sinister intentions. Now that they are asking for a division-level upgrade for the 399th Brigade, we should absolutely not agree. Just give them a simple commendation and that's it!”
An advisor who was good at understanding the thoughts of those in power said.
He knew that Chiang Kai-shek considered the communists to be a thorn in his side.
The Eighth Route Army, the most capable force in the communist hands, was the former Red Army that had chased Chiang Kai-shek all over the south.
Chiang Kai-shek would never easily allow the Eighth Route Army to grow stronger, so he directly suggested rejecting Yan'an's request.
“I think that’s inappropriate. Last time, the 399th Brigade completely wiped out an entire Japanese regiment. The only thing our National Government did was issue a commendation and 10,000 silver dollars.
Yan'an took advantage of this and used it for propaganda, making it seem like our National Government has ulterior motives during the fight against Japan.
Many people have become dissatisfied with our National Government, believing that we are not treating the Eighth Route Army and local forces equally. If our National Government troops had won a victory, they would definitely not receive this kind of treatment!
And this time, the achievements of the 399th Brigade are even more impressive. Many people are bringing up last time and speaking out for them.
If all we do again is a simple commendation and some money, I’m afraid the people will be even more dissatisfied with our National Government!”
Another advisor retorted, clearly having noticed the direction of public opinion.
The other advisors also chimed in, each offering their own suggestions and perspectives.
..................................
“Damn it, all of you, shut up and let me think!”
Listening to his advisors chattering, Chiang Kai-shek didn’t feel the usual contentment of having so many capable people at his disposal, as he had in the past.
Instead, he felt like he was in a market, and the advisors he considered his trusted confidants, his right and left arms, were like haggling vendors fighting over a penny.
After Chiang Kai-shek's signature “Damn it”, the advisors, all aware of his temper, wisely shut their mouths.
After all, they had already made their suggestions, and what to do next was up to Chiang Kai-shek.
The atmosphere in the meeting room suddenly turned silent. Chiang Kai-shek reached out and pinched his aching brows.
He had mixed feelings about Xiao Yun, a combination of love, hate, and a sour feeling of longing.
He knew that Xiao Yun was very capable, but he never imagined he would achieve even more now.
To achieve such impressive victories under the difficult conditions of the Eighth Route Army…
If he were in the National Government, would he have achieved even greater results?
The 399th Brigade’s capture of Shuozhou was also significant for him.
First, it boosted morale among the people and troops. Second, Chiang Kai-shek planned to use this victory as a way to portray it as a strategic counterattack by the Republic of China against the Japanese.
This would be used to gain international support, ideally leading to aid in weapons and supplies!
After his request for international support during the Battle of Songhu failed, he had figured out something - the international community was all about “seeing is believing”.
If you have no value to them, no matter how miserable you are, how much you try to appeal to their sympathy, you won’t get any real assistance.
But if you show that you have the capability to engage in strategic stalemate with the Japanese on the Republic of China's battlefield, or even launch a strategic counteroffensive…
The international community would definitely increase its aid to the National Government!
Xiao Yun’s 399th Brigade restoring Shuozhou was undoubtedly important evidence that the Republic of China was capable of launching a strategic counteroffensive against the Japanese!
Using the 399th Brigade’s achievements to secure aid, it would seem wrong to not give them something concrete in return.
But he didn’t want the Eighth Route Army to use this opportunity to continue to grow stronger.
He knew that the three division-level designations he gave to the Eighth Route Army wouldn’t completely restrict their independent development.
The Eighth Route Army still had numerous divisions, military districts, irregular regiments, and local armed forces within it.
These were not regular numbered units, which always limited their ability to attract talent.
Talented individuals might not be interested in joining a ragtag band!
With an additional regular numbered division, the Eighth Route Army would undoubtedly become even more difficult to deal with!
Why did Xiao Yun choose to work for the communist party instead of for him, the principal?
If Xiao Yun were on his side, with his Whampoa Military Academy class-three background, excellent abilities, and the fact that he had once saved him, how could he possibly have wanted to suppress him?
He would have been willing to give him a position as a commander of a German-equipped army!