“Commander Jiang Kai, I am also dissatisfied with Tang Long’s actions. However, as you know, the Western Combat Zone is currently controlled by the Tang family’s forces.
Furthermore, regarding Tang Long’s recent attacks against you… we do not believe him. We believe General Jiang Kai is loyal to the Empire. I am firmly convinced of this.
But why did you and Hu Hao suddenly decide to cut off all contact with High Command? Granted, High Command currently has its flaws; the generals do not know how to fight. I originally proposed bringing you or Hu Hao to High Command to serve as Grand Marshal, but the resistance from the aristocratic families was simply too great. My Imperial Father and I also wish to reform the current High Command.
Unfortunately, there is no one else available. Aside from you and Hu Hao, there are no Full Generals who know how to command in battle. The commanders of the other Combat Zones have only suffered defeats; transferring them to High Command is out of the question.
Commander Jiang Kai, please tell us: what are we supposed to do?” The Crown Prince, seeing Jiang Kai’s continued silence, interjected.
“Do you also have issues with Tang Long?” Jiang Kai looked at the Crown Prince, surprised.
“Yes. Tang Long is my father-in-law, true. But I am the Crown Prince of the Empire. With the Empire facing such a crisis, the Royal Family needs capable generals like you.
Tang Long’s recent actions have indeed been highly unpopular. However, if we removed Tang Long and replaced him with another general, would that new general be able to lead our troops to victory? If we asked you to come to High Command as Grand Marshal, would you come?
If we brought Hu Hao here, aside from your support, which other Combat Zone Commander would support him? When the time comes, they still wouldn’t obey Hu Hao’s orders! Therefore, Commander Jiang Kai, we are truly out of options. The Empire is currently waiting—waiting for more capable generals to emerge!” the Crown Prince explained from his seat.
“Hmm!” Jiang Kai nodded.
“Jiang Kai, you still haven’t answered my question!” the Emperor pressed.
Jiang Kai took a deep drag of his cigarette, looked at the Emperor, and replied, “Your Majesty, you say you have not treated me poorly. You are right; you truly haven’t! However, Your Majesty, I am the Commander of the Southwest Combat Zone. The vast majority of my subordinates hail from the Southwest. They want to win battles! They want to fight their way back home!
Truth be told, I am the same. Many of my clansmen failed to escape the enemy-occupied territories! Your Majesty, do you know? For every day we delay fighting our way back, who knows how many more citizens will be slaughtered?! My subordinates and I are burning with anxiety!
But being anxious is useless. We originally had an incredible opportunity this time! We could have recaptured five provinces! We could have saved hundreds of millions of citizens! Yet… we missed it, just like that!
Your Majesty, you ask why I refuse to contact High Command. But do you know? If I hadn’t suppressed my subordinates, they would have long since taken their troops and fought their way back on their own! They have zero intention of obeying High Command’s orders anymore.
And it’s not just the ordinary soldiers. Even the generals who hail from the Southwest Combat Zone are desperate to fight their way back.
Over the past few days, every phone call I receive from my subordinates is nothing but complaints! They complain that High Command is filled with incompetent fools! They complain about the lack of ammunition! They were right on the cusp of fighting their way back to their hometowns, yet a single man—Tang Long—shattered their hopes, and the hopes of Hu Hao’s brothers! Tell me, why?!” Jiang Kai’s voice grew increasingly agitated.
The Emperor and the Crown Prince stared at Jiang Kai in shock.
“You have never truly witnessed the aftermath of a massacre! You don’t know! You don’t understand! You’ve only seen footage, but you haven’t been there in person! The scenes of a massacre… the corpses of citizens are everywhere! Everywhere! Many of them died with their eyes wide open, unable to rest in peace!” Jiang Kai covered his face with his hands and began to weep.
The Emperor and the Crown Prince sat in stunned silence, watching Jiang Kai. They never expected him to break down in tears.
“Do you know? In the cities we recaptured, the citizens cursed us! They cursed us for not fighting our way back sooner! They cursed us for abandoning them and running away in the first place!
But after they finished cursing… after they finished cursing… sob… after they finished cursing, they still supported us! They still brought food to our soldiers! Do you know? Our soldiers wept bitterly as they accepted that food!
Your Majesty, the citizens in the enemy-occupied territories are desperately waiting for our Empire’s troops to fight their way back! They are longing for our return! But how can you expect us frontline soldiers to face those people now?! I no longer have the face to look at them!” Jiang Kai sobbed, his face buried in his hands.
“Jiang Kai, I know! I know the frontline soldiers have suffered grievances!” the Emperor said to Jiang Kai.
“Your Majesty, I don’t care what you say anymore; I don’t want to hear it. Until High Command functions normally again, I will not contact them, and I will not obey their orders. I will fight according to my own intentions! If one day I, Jiang Kai, die on the battlefield, I will have a clear conscience!
As for everything else, Hu Hao and I are of the same mind. We don’t want to deal with you anymore. To use Hu Hao’s words: you guys are utterly useless at fighting wars, but when it comes to scheming against people, you’re better than anyone! We frontline soldiers have to face enemy bullets ahead of us, while constantly dodging your hidden arrows from behind! It’s better if we just wash our hands of you completely. Out of sight, out of mind.
Furthermore, I have already dispatched troops to take over the arsenal in Zhongzhou Province! The ammunition produced there will prioritize my central front troops. If there’s any surplus, we’ll provide it to troops in other areas.
As for the orders from Your Majesty and High Command, we will not execute them. We will fight wars according to our own will from now on!” Jiang Kai raised his head and stated firmly.
“What?!” The Emperor stared at Jiang Kai, utterly appalled.
“That is all. If you wish to relieve me of my command, send someone to my Combat Zone to announce the order in person!” With that, Jiang Kai stood up.
“Jiang Kai! What if you came to High Command to serve as General of the Left?!” The Emperor also stood up and asked hastily.
“I cannot come. On the central front, over 600,000 troops are waiting for me. They are counting on me to lead them back home. If I went to High Command, these brothers might not survive. I know the true nature of those aristocratic scions all too well!” Jiang Kai stopped, turned around, and replied.
“You can still retain control of the Southwest Combat Zone troops, or you can designate someone to control them! For the Empire, and for the Empire’s citizens, do you, Jiang Kai, not dare to take this gamble?!” the Emperor demanded.
“I designate someone?” Jiang Kai pondered this for a moment and looked at the Emperor.
“Correct! You designate the Commander of the Southwest Combat Zone!” the Emperor confirmed.
“Let me think about it!” Jiang Kai nodded.
“You can designate Sun Qinxue, or even your own son! As long as you can ensure the central front will not be breached, that is acceptable!” the Emperor added.
“My son won’t do. He’s too green when it comes to fighting; he’d end up getting my subordinates killed. Sun Qinxue won’t do either. He’s fine as a Chief of Staff, but not as a Commander. He has ideas but lacks decisiveness. No good!” Jiang Kai shook his head.
“Then who do you suggest?” the Emperor asked.
“How about Hu Hao?” Jiang Kai asked, looking the Emperor straight in the eye.
“Then what about the First Combat Zone?!” the Emperor shot back.
“Also Hu Hao’s!” Jiang Kai replied.
“Absolutely not! That would give Hu Hao control over more than a million troops! That is impermissible!” The Emperor rejected the idea without a second thought.
“Hmm. I’ll think about it!” Jiang Kai didn’t argue. He simply turned and walked away.
“Send me a telegram once you’ve decided!” the Emperor called after him. Jiang Kai nodded without turning back.
Once Jiang Kai was gone, the Emperor terminated the video call.
“He still trusts Hu Hao the most!” the Crown Prince remarked.
“Hu Hao cannot be allowed to control that many troops! He is even younger than you are, and he has amassed so much military merit. If the Empire ever sees peace again, you will never be able to control him!” the Emperor declared as he stood up.
“We shouldn’t be thinking that far ahead right now, should we? The immediate crisis is the threat of the Empire’s annihilation. Besides, as I said before, the Empire still has the troops of several other Combat Zones. What is there to fear?” the Crown Prince reasoned.
“What is there to fear?! What if another figure like Hu Hao emerges from those ranks?! Furthermore, Hu Hao’s military prowess is already terrifying. Do you truly believe someone will emerge in the future capable of surpassing him?!” the Emperor retorted, staring at the Crown Prince.
The Crown Prince was left speechless.
Meanwhile, Hu Hao was in a vehicle heading toward Dingze City, studying the map of the city and its surrounding areas. Suddenly, the phone rang. A guard in the back answered it and informed Hu Hao it was Jiang Kai. Hu Hao took the receiver immediately!
“Finished talking already?” Hu Hao asked.
“It’s finished,” Jiang Kai replied, his tone somewhat downcast.
“What’s wrong? Didn’t go well?” Sensing something off, Hu Hao inquired. Jiang Kai proceeded to recount his entire conversation with the Emperor.
“Hu Hao, do you know? When he told me I could designate anyone I wanted to be the Southwest Combat Zone Commander, I still held a sliver of hope for His Majesty. I thought, perhaps His Majesty truly understands now.
But when I proposed you, he asked me what would happen to your First Army Group. When I said you would command both, he rejected it instantly and resolutely. That’s when I knew: it’s hopeless! He never trusted us!” Jiang Kai confided in Hu Hao.
“Hah. Sigh… Commander, my only concern for your side was the ammunition issue. If you have enough ammunition, the Emperor wouldn’t dare relieve you of command so easily!” Hu Hao didn’t comment on the rest, simply voicing his primary concern.
“Don’t worry! My troops just secured control of the arsenal in Zhongzhou Province! Ammunition will no longer be an issue!” Jiang Kai chuckled and reassured Hu Hao.
(End of Chapter)