Phi-Fic Chapter 1177 New Appointment
Chapter 1177 New Appointment
Regarding the appointment of officers in the north, Li Shaoyi did indeed need to consult Tang Guoping. Of course, if it were someone else, Tang Guoping certainly wouldn't have offered his opinion unless Li Shaoyi asked. But they had been brothers for many years, and there was no need for such roundabout methods.
Moreover, Li Shaoyi had a very strong control and influence over the army, so Tang Guoping didn't have many thoughts and directly expressed his own ideas to avoid mutual suspicion and unnecessary estrangement between the brothers.
"The situation on the northern border is different from other places. Although there's no war here, if there were, I think it would likely be the most intense war in the world. The intensity would be far greater than fighting the Japanese in the south, so I believe a unified command is essential. When Xiaoshan and I were both in the north, we were able to form a unified command system. But if it were someone else, I'm afraid..."
Logically, giving a suggestion would suffice, and the higher-ups would naturally consider it. However, seeing Li Shaoyi hesitate, Tang Guoping spoke up without any hesitation.
If they weren't brothers for many years, he probably wouldn't have said such a thing. For Tang Guoping, even if Li Shaoyi was suspicious of him, he had to say what needed to be said; it was for the sake of peace on the northern border and the speed of mobilization. If he had to command from both sides, it might cause a lot of delays, and even if things were to be changed later, it would be a lesson learned at the cost of his brothers' lives.
"You're overthinking it. I'm tolerant of my brothers. Of course, I know one commander is much better than two, but I think it's fine to keep you here. Otherwise, let Xiaoshan go to Shancheng. Although his ability to handle things isn't as good as yours, there won't be any major trouble in Shancheng. If there's even a slight problem in the north, it could shake our foundation."
Tang Guoping breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing that Li Shaoyi was considering this. Back when they were just starting out, there was no distrust among the brothers. He had initially thought Li Shaoyi didn't trust Liu Xiaoshan, but it turned out he was considering this issue.
“I have no objection. Xiaoshan is the commander of the Second Army in our army, so his qualifications are sufficient. However, after he arrives in Shancheng, you need to find him a good deputy. As long as he understands the situation in Shancheng, he will definitely do a good job. Otherwise, tell Wu Zhenlei not to come back and to wait in the south.”
Tang Guoping hadn't expected such an unexpected surprise. Frankly speaking, what general leading a unit would willingly go to a mountain city to be a mascot? Of course, this mascot was necessary. We still had that sign: the 72nd Army Group of the National Revolutionary Army. If we didn't have that sign, we might have already begun to split, which was exactly what the Japanese wanted to see.
Therefore, at this stage, even if the Nationalist government goes a bit too far, we must consider the overall situation. Moreover, Li Shaoyi's direct flight back to the north from Hankou almost led to military conflict. So even if they are dissatisfied, the matter is settled. In any case, they will ultimately have to consider this when making decisions in the future.
“That’s natural. Xiaoshan has been smart since he was a child, and he doesn’t cause trouble like Ma Leizi. So entrusting him with this kind of thing is a good way to train him. I don’t want to deal with those generals and commanders anymore; I’m almost turning my hair white from all the work. I’ll let Xiaoshan go and take a look.”
Li Shaoyi said with a smile that his brothers used to envy the lives of these high-ranking officials the most. Now, he would let Liu Xiaoshan go and get used to it, to see if the lives of these so-called high-ranking officials were as comfortable as they imagined.
After reaching an agreement, Tang Guoping didn't linger with Li Shaoyi. Instead, he boarded a plane and headed to Liu Xiaoshan's place. There were some things Tang Guoping needed to discuss with Liu Xiaoshan, since Liu Xiaoshan already knew about the situation. Of course, he knew that Tang Guoping was going to Shancheng in Li Shaoyi's place, not that he himself was going.
"What the hell? This is ridiculous. Even if you don't go, you can't send me. What kind of place is that? It's like a prison. Our leader suffered there. Do you think I can handle it? Look at me, if I go there I'll just want to start a fight. I'll ruin our army group's plans."
When Liu Xiaoshan heard that Tang Guoping had flown to his command post, he was puzzled. "You're about to go to Chongqing. Even if you wanted to say goodbye, you could have just made a phone call. Why would you fly here in person?"
After hearing what Tang Guoping said, Liu Xiaoshan jumped for joy. "So, after you two finished your plan, you didn't even ask for my consent! You're planning to send me to Shancheng!" He had initially felt great sympathy for Tang Guoping, but now he wanted nothing more than to fight him to the death.
“Calm down. I’ve analyzed this carefully with the Commander-in-Chief. The command in the North can’t be divided. If we send someone else besides the two of us, there will definitely be disagreements. I originally thought of concentrating all the command in your hands, but you’re not as steady as me, you have to admit that. The Commander-in-Chief also considered this point, and then thought that the people in the mountain city can’t be bad. If we send someone else besides the two of us, they simply won’t agree. So we can only send you, it’s the only option.”
If anyone else had said this, Liu Xiaoshan would have immediately argued with them, asking what they meant by "you can do it but I can't." However, since it was Tang Guoping who said it, Liu Xiaoshan knew that his command abilities were still somewhat inferior to Tang Guoping's, especially in commanding two regular troops.
In this situation, Liu Xiaoshan thought it over carefully. Just as Tang Guoping had said, there were probably only a handful of people in the entire 72nd Group Army who could represent Li Shaoyi. Moreover, the offer from the South was not low; it would also allow him to enter the Military Commission, which would make him one of the top 20 or so figures in the entire army. Although his ranking was relatively low, it was still a spot available in the 72nd Group Army.
If these brothers don't go, they'll likely close the final door. After Li Shaoyi returned from Hankou, the Southern government, having acknowledged its mistakes, granted him such generous treatment. If you don't go, then a split is inevitable.