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The light yellow hue adorned the Conference Room with a quiet solemnity. Shen Deputy Officer opened the door for Jiang Shanghao, who strode in with his head held high and eyes straight ahead, embodying the demeanor of a soldier. Shangguan Shaoyi did not approach him but instead quietly watched him with his bright eyes until Jiang Shanghao stood before him, at which point he offered a salute, "Commander."
"Please take a seat." Jiang Shanghao's expression was stern; this statement seemed directed at Shangguan Shaoyi yet also addressed everyone present.
Shangguan Shaoyi raised an eyebrow slightly. The Generals behind him remained motionless, and Jiang Shanghao's gaze grew sharper as he repeated, "Please take a seat."
The silence in the air transformed into a tense atmosphere, with both sides confronting each other in quietude. After a long moment, Shangguan Shaoyi raised his right hand and made a gesture, prompting the group of Generals behind him to sit down. His piercing gaze swept over Jiang Shanghao, his expression unreadable.
Hmph, is he trying to assert dominance right from the start? Jiang Shanghao was not angered; after all, having lived for so long, it seemed pointless to squabble with the young and impetuous Shangguan Shaoyi. He paused for a moment and said, "Shangguan Shaoying, don't come to Wuyang."
"Yes, Shaoyi. I have disappointed the Commander." Shangguan Shaoyi replied nonchalantly. Jiang Shanghao felt a sudden tightening in his chest; it seemed that Shangguan Shaoyi was deliberately stepping on his bottom line, provoking him and waiting for an outburst.
He snorted coldly and suppressed his temper. "I came here to discuss how to counter the Japanese Army."
"As the Commander can see, Manchuria has already been established." Shangguan Shaoyi's tone turned serious, his gaze deepening. "The North and South have unified in terms of situation. The Japanese have infringed upon everyone's interests by establishing themselves in Feng Province. If the Commander continues to ignore this, he may face criticism domestically and lose face internationally."
Jiang Shanghao twitched his lips; beside him, Diplomat Zhong Chuping was calmly assessing Shangguan Shaoyi. Although he had only met Shangguan Shaoyi once, he felt resentful because Cheng Mosu, who was about to become his wife, had been captivated by this very man.
Shangguan Shaoyi sensed his gaze and shot him a cold look.
After a moment of silence, Jiang Shanghao said, "I am here precisely for this matter. With the country unified now, it is absolutely unacceptable for only Shangguan Shaoying to resist foreign forces. I have decided to mobilize the entire nation to counter the Japanese Army; I will entrust the Northeast Battlefield to you. Tomorrow I will issue orders for Ruan Shaoshuai from the Northwest to come assist you."
Shangguan Shaoyi snorted softly; ultimately, Jiang Shanghao was merely expressing his stance to mitigate public opinion without intending any substantial action. Moreover, he understood that Ruan Yu would not involve himself in matters that did not concern him.
"Then what about the Central Army?" he asked, his gaze darkening.
"The Central Army is still needed to eliminate the Zhang Faction that once occupied the southwest, and cannot be mobilized. I can only deploy Ruan Shaoshuai's Army," came the reply.
Shangguan Shaoyi sneered coldly; Jiang Shanghao was adept at shirking responsibility. He knew very well that Ruan Yu would not help, yet he still employed this tactic to block public criticism. Thinking deeper, Jiang Shanghao was still wary of their old warlord faction, so he would never send the Central Army to them. The fact that only his family was resisting the Japanese Army was akin to hitting a stone with an egg; once his strength was exhausted, Jiang Shanghao would seize the opportunity to take him down.
This meeting held no real significance.
He fixed his gaze on Jiang Shanghao and said, "I remember that you studied at a Military Academy abroad, so you should know that soldiers have only one wish: to die for their country on the battlefield, rather than being wrapped in horsehide. Now, faced with foreign aggression, you can't come up with a single practical idea and only muddle through. Have you completely forgotten everything you learned at the Military Academy?"
He flickered his eyes and a smirk appeared on his lips. "Or perhaps you never attended a Military Academy at all and simply forged your credentials. Or maybe your wife instructed you to act this way, and you complied."
"You!" Jiang Shanghao slammed the table in anger. "Nonsense! You can check my credentials at my school. Besides, my wife would never dare to dictate to me. Whether the Central Army can be mobilized is not solely up to me..." He suddenly realized that Shangguan Shaoyi had successfully and thoroughly provoked him, causing him to panic internally and quickly silence himself to regain composure.
Shangguan Shaoyi appeared relaxed, raising an eyebrow. "A soldier's duty is absolute obedience; if the Commander's words don't count, then our words surely count even less."
"What do you mean?!" Jiang Shanghao glared fiercely at him.
"I mean nothing; I can tear up our agreement whenever I want," he replied coldly, his eyes projecting a sharp light. Even someone as experienced as Jiang Shanghao could not guess his true thoughts at that moment.
Shangguan Shaoyi remained calm while Jiang Shanghao felt increasingly uneasy. Zhong Chuping quickly intervened, "Commander, Shangguan Shaoyi, why escalate things? We are all in the same boat now. Moreover, Shangguan Shaoyi has previously entered the pass to assist you and was appointed by you as a Marshal of Land, Sea, and Air. This shows how much importance you place on him. However, due to other key personnel within our ranks, we may not be able to provide Young Commander with a satisfactory response."
"Oh?" Shangguan Shaoyi raised an eyebrow. "Commander, your diplomat seems to have forgotten that I once sent troops to assist you. But that's alright; I don't wish to cooperate with someone like you who is untrustworthy. I believe the old warlord structure will resume from here on out; the southwest, northwest, and southeast will likely think similarly."
Jiang Shanghao stabilized his emotions and smiled darkly, "Hmph, you think restoring the old power structure will be easy? Your Feng Province has already been occupied by the Japanese. You only have two provinces and a city under your command; what can you really accomplish? Unless you want to ally with the Japanese and leverage their strength. But I know you won't do that; your grievances with Japan are not just national but also personal."
"Yes, Commander, you are right," Shangguan Shaoyi nodded, his eyes bright and his brow clear. "No matter how eloquently you speak, the conclusion is that you refuse to assist me. Regardless, I am fighting against the Japanese Army on my own. Whether or not the old warlord structure is restored, it will still be my Shangguan Family's Army resisting them. To me, it makes no difference."
Jiang Shanghao tightened his pupils, sensing what he was about to say next, feeling a chill.
Shangguan Shaoyi smiled slightly, "But if that's the case, won't the warlords that Commander worked so hard to eliminate just reappear? Commander, you care about your reputation; surely you wouldn't want those behind you to stab you in the back and say that everything you did was in vain?"
Jiang Shanghao remained silent, quietly waiting for him to continue. His sharp gaze swept over Jiang Shanghao's face. "At that time, public opinion will only say that it was because you did not resist the Japanese Army that the old power structure was restored. This would not only bring shame upon you but also upon your Southern Government. Would you really do something so counterproductive, Commander?"
Jiang Shanghao paused for a moment, softened his expression, and steadied his tone. "Shangguan Shaoying, tell me your terms."
"My terms are not excessive," Shangguan Shaoyi raised his Eyes and said, "I want all the northern Army at my disposal; I will drive the Japanese Army out of our territory!"
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