Warlords: Rising from the Northwest Border and Sweeping Across the Powers

Chapter 1252: The Style of a Confucian General

In the state banquet hall, the lights were on and the wine was flowing.

Su Zhengyang held up his wine glass and clinked glasses with the generals one by one. His usual majesty was now transformed into a cheerful smile. This was a feast for the victors, and everyone was relaxed.

"Commander Zheng, come here!" Liu Chengxu's voice was particularly loud, and he grabbed Zheng Zeyu who was about to sneak away, "Today is such a good day, you can't hide!"

"Commander Liu, I...I can't drink much..." Zheng Zeyu declined awkwardly.

"It's okay! Today we'll make an exception!" Liu Chengxu laughed, "We've been fighting side by side for so long, and we haven't had a good drink yet! Come on, let's drink this!"

Zheng Zeyu had no choice but to raise his glass to accompany him. The normally reserved commander of the Northwest Army quickly blushed.

In a corner, Chen Tong and Gu Chenghai gathered together and discussed in a low voice: "I heard that Yinggeli is very dissatisfied with us taking over Fuso?"

"What are you afraid of?" Gu Chenghai chuckled. "China is no longer a country they can bully at will. Besides, with the 1.6 million square kilometers of land in the Far East as a buffer, they can't do anything to us."

Commander-in-Chief Guderan and Deputy Commander Stein sat together, recalling the war:

"I remember the day we landed, the waves were so big..."

"Yes, thanks to the support of the North Sea Fleet..."

The most surprising thing was the head of the SS Division, Ike. This normally cold-faced special forces commander actually smiled. He was talking to Klinge, Otto and others about interesting things on the battlefield.

"If Ike hadn't arrived in time for that night attack, we would have been in trouble," Klinghe said with emotion.

"It's my duty." Ike smiled rarely and raised his glass to greet Klinghe.

Li Feier pulled Liu Gangding to thank him for his logistical support during the war: "If it weren't for you, Old Liu, we wouldn't have been able to fight so smoothly!"

"It's my job, it's my duty." Liu Kangding smiled naively.

Su Zhengyang stood high in the banquet hall, looking at this joyful scene, his heart filled with satisfaction. Each of these generals had made great contributions to China. Today, let them enjoy the joy of victory.

As the cups flowed and the laughter continued, the state banquet hall that night became the most relaxing and enjoyable memory for the generals.

This was a night to remember, a night for the winners.

After the banquet, Su Zhengyang returned to his office and told his secretary Zhang Luanyu: "Go and invite Chen Tong over."

Not long after, Chen Tong walked into the office, still in high spirits. Although he had just attended a banquet, he still maintained the demeanor of a Confucian general.

"Staff Officer Chen, please take a seat." Su Zhengyang greeted him with a smile, "Did you enjoy your drink today?"

"Thank you for your concern, President," Chen Tong smiled modestly, "Everyone is very happy."

Su Zhengyang nodded, walked to the coffee table, and began to brew some sobering tea. The aroma of the tea rose and filled the entire office.

"Come, try the tea I brewed myself," Su Zhengyang handed a cup of steaming hot tea to Chen Tong, "This is the good tea I brought from South Seoul, specially used to sober you up."

"Thank you, President." Chen Tong took the teacup, took a sip, and the fragrance of tea filled his mouth, and he immediately felt refreshed.

Su Zhengyang sat back at his desk and looked at the young and promising staff officer in front of him. He admired him very much: "Staff Officer Chen, you performed very well in this war. Whether it was strategy formulation or battlefield command, you showed the demeanor of a Confucian general."

"Thank you, President," Chen Tong said modestly, "This is the result of everyone's joint efforts."

"It's good to be humble, but you also have to see your own value," Su Zhengyang smiled slightly, "I'm optimistic about you. The future Chinese army still needs young people like you to lead it."

Chen Tong felt warm in his heart, knowing that this was Su Zhengyang's trust and expectation for him. He nodded solemnly: "I will definitely live up to the president's expectations."

The two smiled at each other, and the aroma of tea lingered in the office for a long time.

"Staff Officer Chen," Su Zhengyang gently put down the teacup, "what do you think of the current situation in South Asia?"

Chen Tong pondered for a moment, a glimmer of wisdom flashed in his eyes: "Mr. President, after experiencing the invasion of Fuso, the South Asian countries can be said to have suffered a great loss of vitality. Although Siam, Myanmar, Indochina and other countries are now actively rebuilding, it will be difficult for them to recover in the short term."

"Go on." Su Zhengyang motioned for him to continue.

"But it is worth noting that the Asian Alliance," Chen Tong said seriously, "This organization has a considerable say in the South Asian Alliance. Under the banner of 'Asia for Asians', they have considerable influence in various South Asian countries."

"But to be honest," Chen Tong leaned forward slightly, "the battlefield in Europe is what we should focus on the most. The struggle between England and Germany has reached a fever pitch, and this is the real priority."

"Oh? Why do you say that?" Su Zhengyang asked with interest.

"The situation in Europe directly affects the global situation," Chen Tong analyzed. "If Germany wins, the entire European power map will be reshuffled. This is both a challenge and an opportunity for us."

"Moreover," he added, "England has always been wary of our expansion in the Far East. If they fail in Europe, it will inevitably affect their layout in Asia. This is very beneficial for us to further consolidate our position in East Asia."

Su Zhengyang nodded, with a look of approval in his eyes: "Well said. It seems that you are not only an excellent military commander, but also have an accurate grasp of the international situation."

"Mr. President, thank you for your praise," Chen Tong said modestly, "These are just some of my superficial observations on the battlefield."

"No," Su Zhengyang said seriously, "We need talents like you who understand both military and politics. China's future needs more generals like you."

There was a brief silence in the office, as both of them were thinking about this major change that was changing the world.

"Staff Officer Chen is right," Su Zhengyang stroked the teacup gently, "but although South Asia is small, it is not far from China. How can I allow others to snore beside my bed?"

Hearing this, Chen Tong was stunned. He pondered for a moment, and was a little confused about what the president meant. Could it be that after solving the problem of Fuso, China would also...

As if seeing Chen Tong's doubts, Su Zhengyang smiled and said directly: "Don't be nervous. What I mean is that we will adopt a conciliatory policy."

"At present, China needs to keep a low profile and focus on developing the economy and improving national strength." Su Zhengyang's tone became calmer. "We have just recovered the Far East, and we still have Fuso to govern. All of these require time and energy."

Chen Tong nodded thoughtfully.

"War," Su Zhengyang continued, "is not the only way to solve problems. Sometimes, economic aid and cultural exchanges can achieve twice the result with half the effort."

"I understand," Chen Tong suddenly realized, "The president wants to expand our influence in South Asia through peaceful means."

"That's right," Su Zhengyang looked at him approvingly, "We can help these post-war rebuilding countries and make them feel China's goodwill. This will not only stabilize the surrounding situation, but also expand our influence."

“Moreover,” Su Zhengyang added, “the most important thing for us now is to develop ourselves. The governance of the Far East and Fuso has just begun and requires a lot of manpower and material resources. We will not easily provoke war again.”

Chen Tong fully understood the president's strategic intention: to ensure the security of the surrounding areas in a peaceful way while focusing on developing national strength. This is indeed the wisest choice at present.

"The president has a far-sighted vision," Chen Tong said sincerely, "This is indeed the best strategic choice."

Su Zhengyang nodded with satisfaction: "So I said, you must not only understand military affairs, but also politics. Sometimes, peaceful development can achieve our goals better than war."