kingnovel Chapter 1179 Liu Xiaoshan Takes Office
Chapter 1179 Liu Xiaoshan Takes Office
It was under these circumstances that Liu Xiaoshan arrived in Hankou by plane. When Liu Xiaoshan disembarked, Wu Zhenlei, who had arrived earlier, was already waiting to greet him at the airport. Of course, Wu Zhenlei was just someone busy with errands; the real protagonist was his uncle, Vice Minister Wu of the Ministry of Military Affairs.
Liu Xiaoshan had heard from his elder brother that Vice Minister Wu of the Ministry of Military Affairs had helped them a lot in the past. Although he wanted to help them in recent years, he couldn't get involved due to the ideological issues within the Party and the state. He could only be considered a friend. But at crucial moments, it was important to stay clear-headed.
When Liu Xiaoshan came from the north, Li Shaoyi had already given him a clear explanation. After arriving in Shancheng or Hankou, he should try not to express his opinion on certain matters on the spot. Instead, he should say some ambiguous things and wait until he returned and the brothers had discussed them before making a statement. This was especially true regarding matters on the battlefield. We need to be more careful now and not act like we used to.
In the past, during the War of Resistance against Japan, we took on tasks that weren't even ours. Li Shaoyi believed this was all for the sake of the country and the people. But given the current situation, it seems only you are acting for the country and the people, while everyone else is acting for their own personal gain. Therefore, if the 72nd Army is asked to do anything in the future, we won't be at the forefront. We can be at the forefront, but the benefits must be agreed upon beforehand.
The reason we're in this situation now is because we've learned from our mistakes. Li Shaoyi doesn't want to see this happen; he only hopes everyone can unite and defeat the Japanese first, and then we can talk about other things. That's what we should be doing right now.
Of course, Li Shaoyi wasn't just making empty promises; he consistently acted accordingly throughout the process. Unfortunately, only he acted this way; others remained focused on their own interests. They wouldn't take any action unless their own interests were guaranteed.
Li Shaoyi has now realized that if he's the only one making sacrifices, others will think he's a fool. So, in the future, he'll do the same things as them, out of necessity. Although the war of resistance might be prolonged, it doesn't mean he'll have to leave Hankou again.
"We are very aware of General Liu's efforts in fighting against the barbarian invaders in the north. Welcome to Hankou."
Although it was wartime, the welcoming ceremony for Liu Xiaoshan was still very high-class. The entire airport was packed with hundreds of people welcoming him, and there was even a military band. Liu Xiaoshan felt a chill run down his spine at the sight.
Before he arrived, he specifically borrowed some intelligence from the Military Intelligence Bureau to understand the current situation in Hankou. Isn't war about to break out here? And the Japanese have a very strong presence in this area. Instead of focusing on your duties, how come you have the time to organize such a welcome banquet?
Even if the people coming from the north are important, and you want to show remorse for the 72nd Army, is it really necessary to make it like this? Look at the situation around the airport, you're not here to welcome me, you're pushing me into the line of fire of Japanese spies.
"Thank you for your kindness, Vice Minister Wu and all the officers. However, the current situation in Hankou is not suitable for such a welcoming ceremony. Let's keep things simple."
Liu Xiaoshan's words put many officials present in an awkward position. However, many others were secretly pleased, as they had no desire to participate in the welcoming ceremony. Originally, when Li Shaoyi was in Hankou, he had already largely eliminated the Japanese spies, but given how the higher-ups treated them afterward, how could Li Shaoyi possibly continue to concern himself with such matters? He led his men northward.
As a result, the Japanese spies seized this opportunity and launched a surprise attack. The situation on our side became even more dire. Holding such a grand welcoming ceremony at the airport was tantamount to exposing many officials to the guns of Japanese spies. Some people the Japanese spies couldn't normally find, but today they had all been found. Of course, they hadn't started making moves yet. Liu Xiaoshan suggested hurrying back, which struck a chord with them. In their eyes, he was an extremely pragmatic general.
"General Liu, please get in the car first. We will hold a welcome banquet for you tonight at the Ministry of Military Affairs building."
Although Vice Minister Wu had lost face, he was a man of principle and understood why Liu Xiaoshan had said those things. Staying there long enough increased his chances of being assassinated, especially since he was one of the most steadfast resistance fighters within the Party and the state.
Liu Xiaoshan smiled and nodded, then got into the car with his men. After Liu Xiaoshan's convoy left, the others also left the airport in a rush. If it weren't for the strict orders from above, these people would never have shown their faces at the airport.
Deep down, they harbored some resentment. Why bother with such a welcome banquet? What's the point of making such a grand ceremony? When Commander Li was here, all you needed to do was be less calculating and give him more authority. So why bother with all this now?
If only you had known then what you know now! Back then, we were all brothers in arms, and things were much easier to talk to. Now that Commander Li isn't coming back, you have to rely on Liu Xiaoshan to relay everything. Although Liu Xiaoshan holds a high position in the 72nd Army, he can't make decisions on the spot like Li Shaoyi, can he?
According to some of the younger generation in Hankou, this is utterly pointless and unnecessary. They could have handled things perfectly well from the start. Why bother with these useless tasks now? It's all just bureaucratic thinking. Even before the Japanese arrived, you created chaos. And now that the Japanese are here, you haven't stopped, assuming everyone will get used to this bureaucratic mindset. Turns out, Commander Li isn't used to it, and now he's not putting up with it anymore.
The younger generation is criticizing loudly, but do the die-hards really not regret it? But what can they do even if they regret it? Can they bring Li Shaoyi back now?