Chapter 116: Yang Du's Solution

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In any city overshadowed by the clouds of war, panic is inevitable. At such times, the government's actions often determine whether the people's hearts can be calmed. The Russians had not done well in this regard. They never really cared about the Chinese common folk, and to make matters worse, the Japanese were constantly causing them trouble from behind.

In recent days, several Japanese trading companies in Liaoyang had nearly simultaneously raised rice prices. A few days ago, one dou of rice sold for only twenty large coins; today, it had surged to fifty. Even so, the Japanese only sold rice for two hours each day, plunging Liaoyang further into chaos. The ones who suffered the most were the Chinese civilians.

Yang Xiaolin had smoothly taken Kaizhou. The Russian army stationed there originally had some defensive forces, but Commander Lopategin had pulled them away to suppress bandits, leaving behind only a few hundred elderly, weak, and sick soldiers guarding the city. When they learned that the four thousand troops ahead had been defeated, their morale collapsed. They arranged an organized retreat within the city. By the time Yang Xiaolin arrived, there were essentially no Russians left in Kaizhou.

Only a few pro-Russian Qing loyalists resisted briefly with rifles but inflicted no damage on the bandits. When the bandits charged forward, these Qing loyalists surrendered.

The Russians took everything they could from Kaizhou, but after all, it was a city they intended to occupy long-term. So Yang Xiaolin still managed to secure some supplies.

That night, he let the bandits rest in Kaizhou and prepared a hearty meal of pork stewed with cabbage for everyone to enjoy. They could rest for at least a day.

In the large pot, the cabbage roots churned with bubbling, thick lard floating on top, making it look quite appetizing. But it wasn’t cooked yet. Even though their stomachs growled loudly, no one was allowed to eat at this moment.

Getting sick from bad food would only make the upcoming march more difficult.

At this moment, Asou Nao asked the same question again: “Xiaolin-kun, I’m very curious—what are your next plans?”

Yang Xiaolin smiled slightly. Next step? Ever since he broke out of the encirclement, the outcome of this siege was no longer in the Russians’ hands. After capturing Kaizhou, Yang Xiaolin released nearly twenty thousand Chinese laborers from nearby mines and selected over two thousand to stay.

He now had several small Russian cannons and could try to conquer cities and territories. At least, that was how Asou Nao saw it. The Japanese hoped that Yang Xiaolin would cause as much chaos as possible, ideally throwing the Russian deployments in Northeast China into disarray, which would greatly benefit future Japanese military operations.

Yang Xiaolin didn’t directly answer Asou Nao. Instead, he looked at Yang Du: “Xi, do you still doubt I can take Fengtian?”

Yang Du cupped his fist: “No doubt at all. Our leader is wise and mighty, truly invincible in attack and undefeated in battle.”

Yang Xiaolin chuckled: “My own brother, don’t say such things. I very much want to know—how do you plan to convince the imperial court to tolerate our existence?”

Yang Du glanced at Asou Nao, hesitating to speak. Yang Xiaolin set down his teacup: “Asou-kun, could you please go out and see if there are any Japanese inside the city? Maybe you can gather some reliable intelligence.”

Asou Nao glared at Yang Du but finally stood: “Alright, I’ll be back in half an hour. Hopefully, no one finishes everything in this pot before I return.”

After Asou Nao left, Yang Du’s expression turned serious: “Leader, when the Japanese and Russians clash, your raising the righteous banner will surely rally many. Although the court won’t intervene in the Russo-Japanese dispute, they will certainly support your actions. I believe that moment will be our best chance to make contact with the court.”

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Yang Xiaolin nodded. Yang Du’s reasoning was very sound. Historically, Zhang Zuolin had fought battles against both Japan and Russia. Even after his defeat, the court still allowed him to return to office. When the Japanese demanded that the Qing government hand over Zhang Zuolin, the Qing truly refused.

He thought that if he truly took up the banner as Yang Du suggested and made contact with the Qing, they might tacitly accept him.

“So, Xi, what’s your plan?”

Yang Xiaolin was satisfied with the general direction; now he was curious about Yang Du’s specific strategy. Since this was their first cooperation, naturally Yang Xiaolin wouldn’t completely hand over control to Yang Du—Yang Du understood this. He collected his thoughts and said, “Boss, before I speak, I want to ask everyone a question.”

Yang Xiaolin looked at him. Scholars were always like this, building suspense to show off their talents. He smiled and said, “Go ahead.”

Yang Du lifted his head: “I want to ask why the 108 heroes of Liangshan Marsh have been immortalized and celebrated through the ages?”

The bandits might not know the answers to other questions, but these Liangshan heroes were their ancestors—they knew well. Jin Dada slammed the table: “Why ask? It’s because they were loyal to righteousness, sharing life and death, accomplishing great deeds!”

Several others agreed. Suddenly, Yang Xiaolin’s heart sank, and his expression darkened. He noticed Yang Du’s gaze fixed on him. He took a cigarette from his pocket, put it in his mouth, and patted his coat pocket: “Where’s my lighter? Anyone have fire? Xi, you continue, don’t mind me.”

Yang Du smiled: “Brother Jin is right, but is loyalty alone enough? Throughout history, countless heroes and brothers gathered in the mountains, sharing life and death. But only those from Wagong Fort and Liangshan Marsh left their names behind! Why? Because most others fought for personal grudges, while these heroes sacrificed their blood for the nation’s righteousness.”

He stood up, visibly moved: “Leader, you and all these heroes are unmatched. Look at our current situation—it’s so much like the Song Dynasty’s past. The court’s army is weak, enemies surround us. At this time, we should emulate the sons of Liangshan, sharing the burden for our country, striving for eternal fame!”

Yang Du’s meaning was clear: he wanted Yang Xiaolin to accept official amnesty.

Yang Xiaolin lowered his head, smoking and pondering Yang Du’s words. He had never considered amnesty before; he only wanted to find a way to keep the Qing from wiping him out now that he had established a base. It seemed he had been mistaken. Yang Du had set his sights on his forces and clearly expressed willingness to help—but his aim was to use Yang Xiaolin’s army to secure his own future! He didn’t want to co-create a new era with him; he wanted to be the next Song Jiang!

If Yang Du wanted to be Song Jiang, then Yang Xiaolin would have to be Chao Gai.

When Yang Xiaolin lifted his head, he smiled faintly and looked at his brothers. Clearly, some had been stirred by Yang Du’s words. After all, most would welcome a chance for legitimate status.

He smiled: “Xi, you make a good point, but this is a big matter. The court may not be willing to tolerate us.”

Yang Du immediately took on a serious tone: “Leader, rest assured. I’ll handle all contact with the court. If I fail, you all may kill me.”

Yang Xiaolin laughed heartily and pulled Yang Du close: “We’re family—don’t speak like that. As long as you try, success or failure, we won’t blame you.”

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Jin Dada’s face darkened. Amnesty? They had thought about and tried that during Liu Yikun’s time. Now Yang Xiaolin wanted to try it again? Just as he was about to stand and speak, Yang Xiaolin kicked him under the table.

Yang Du sat down, excited. Yang Xiaolin stubbed out his cigarette on the ground: “Before the Japanese return, let’s discuss what to do with the troops. We’ve recruited over two thousand brothers this time. Though the army has grown, if we don’t organize well, our combat effectiveness will suffer.”

Everyone nodded. Yang Xiaolin thought for a moment: “Nirel, interested in leading your own unit?”

Nirel was taken aback. Though he knew Yang Xiaolin treated him well since arriving at Gulu Mountain, he hadn’t expected to be entrusted with a unit. As mercenaries, they all knew every nation was exclusionary, and his skin was clearly different from the Chinese. Yang Xiaolin’s trust moved him deeply.

After a while, Nirel nodded: “How many men will you give me?”

Yang Xiaolin held up two fingers: “Two hundred. I’ll equip you with the best weapons I have, standardizing guns and ammunition calibers. We’ll train together personally. If I want to forge an elite unit, your men must be the elites of the elites!”

At this, the bandits looked at Nirel with envy. Nirel’s thick lips trembled: “Don’t worry.”

Yang Xiaolin smiled and nodded: “Pick from the miners outside, choose the healthiest. In the future, if you find anyone suitable in other companies, tell me—I’ll transfer them to you.”

Yang Xiaolin intended to build a special forces unit.

When Yang Pianjing was in the Liberation Army, the military district once selected reconnaissance soldiers. Yang Xiaolin had applied. There were over eighty applicants in their company. Yang Pianjing was eliminated in the first round. That setback deepened Yang Xiaolin’s passion for special forces. Special forces are powerful—one member is like an unremovable nail. A good special forces soldier can destroy an enemy company or battalion, even decide the outcome of a war!

Another special unit to establish would be snipers.

This unit wasn’t yet formalized in armies worldwide, but Yang Xiaolin understood their value. Just take Biaozi’s sharp-shooter Tinghui, whose precise shots were key in several battles. Many in the ranks had excellent marksmanship and were suited to be snipers, lacking only theoretical combat experience.

How to train an ordinary soldier into a special forces operative or sniper, Yang Xiaolin did not know. No country had a ready answer. But precisely because everyone was starting from zero, if he could take the lead and move faster, he could leave others far behind.

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