"Sell newspapers! Sell newspapers!! The 98th Army held the grandest military parade in China's history! Thousands of advanced aircraft, thousands of heavy artillery, and 3,000 tanks participated in the parade! The number of troops is the largest in East Asia!"

"The mysterious force that defeated the Japanese main fleet appeared, and ministers from various countries in China expressed their intention to purchase weapons equipped by this force."

"The 98th Army exhibited its ace tank, the Type 59 tank. Its 100mm caliber is the best in the world."

"The 98th Army issued an ultimatum to the Kuomintang. Failure to cancel the peace agreement with the Japanese means war! The civil war is about to break out on the 25th!"

"The 98th Army proposes to exempt all agricultural taxes in North China. The premise is that all major counties and cities must take the initiative to join the 98th Army. Once there is any resistance, the agricultural taxes in that area will no longer be exempted!"

"The 98th Army intends to rejuvenate the Han nation, establish the Han Alliance, and target the Japanese pirates in the East. It threatens that if Japan does not make compensation, it will attack the Japanese mainland and destroy the entire Japan!"

On November 11, the loud cries of newsboys rang out on the streets of major cities again.

After hearing so much breaking news, of course people on the street went to buy it! It didn't take long for the newspapers in the hands of the newsboys to be sold out again.

After reading the newspaper, almost everyone was shocked by the strength of the 98th Army. This was the first time that the 98th Army unabashedly showed its strength to the world.

Although they knew that the 98th Army was very powerful before, they did not know how powerful the 98th Army was.

Major newspapers have speculated on the strength of the entire 98th Army. It is estimated that they have more than 2,000 heavy artillery pieces with a caliber of 100mm or more, more than 7,000 of the world's most advanced tanks, and more than 1,000 advanced fighters. The entire 98th Army has

The military is almost invincible in Asia.

Those newspapers also predicted that even the Kuomintang and the Japanese combined may not necessarily be the opponents of the 98th Army, because the strength of the 98th Army is too strong, and the 98th Army is likely to unify the entire China again.

After seeing this, almost everyone was shocked by the news. Is the whole of China going to change again?

However, many people are also very happy about this change. That is the major landowners and farmers, because Lu Mingxuan has promised to exempt all agricultural taxes in North China, provided that they do not resist the entry of the 98th Army.

Many farmers who could not survive due to excessive taxes and miscellaneous taxes were of course extremely happy when they heard the news. They all made up their mind to take to the streets to demonstrate in support of the 98th Army and asked the local garrison not to resist the arrival of the 98th Army.

Facing Lu Mingxuan's naked temptation, the landowners could not resist it. They joined forces one after another and planned to support the 98th Army at the critical moment.

Although the national capitalists were dissatisfied with Lu Mingxuan's focus on focusing future tax collection on industry, Lu Mingxuan also made concessions. Not only did he promise to the national capitalists that he would not increase taxes casually, but he also planned to sell them a large number of taxes at low prices.

Production lines and industrial machine tools have more or less quelled the dissatisfaction of those capitalists.

The most important thing they know is that China is now an agricultural country. Farmers are the most powerful. These actions of the 98th Army will win the hearts and minds of the vast majority of Chinese people.

Coupled with the powerful military strength of the 98th Army, the whole of China has almost become the possession of the 98th Army.

Life is like rape. If you can't resist, just enjoy it. This sentence is not only understood by foreigners, but also by those capitalists.

As these news spread more and more widely, the situation in North China became undercurrent. After assessing the situation in China, major forces made their final choices.

But there is one person who will never be happy about this news.

"Niang Xipi! Niang Xipi! This Lu Mingxuan is really ambitious! He plans to snatch my kingdom so soon! I really regret not killing him at all costs!"

In the Presidential Palace in Wuhan, Chiang Kai-shek roared loudly again in his office.

If there was a regret medicine in the world, he would buy one at all costs, and then kill Lu Mingxuan at all costs.

But now it's too late. The 98th Army has completely grown into a towering tree. They not only occupy the entire Northeast, but also extend their tentacles to the entire North China.

Many people believe that once the war breaks out between the Kuomintang and the 98th Army, the 98th Army will be able to capture the entire North China within a month.

Chiang Kai-shek felt extremely frightened when he thought of the powerful military power of the 98th Army.

So he said to a man in front of him who was wearing plain clothes and reading a newspaper: "General Matsui, what do you think I should do now? Should I start a war with the 98th Army in advance?"

The man slowly raised his head, revealing a face that looked a little thin.

If anyone knows him, they will be surprised, because he is the former commander of the Shanghai Expeditionary Army and the commander of the Central China Front Army General Matsui Iwane.

Since the Kuomintang and Japan secretly formed an alliance, Japan proposed to send several military advisers to the Kuomintang, and Chiang Kai-shek agreed without hesitation. After fighting several battles with the Japanese army, he believed that Japan still had merits in terms of military affairs.

At least it was better than the Kuomintang, so Matsui Iwane came to China again.

Matsui Iwane sighed softly, he couldn't help but sigh that things in the world are so unpredictable.

Not long ago, he was still racking his brains on how to eliminate the Kuomintang, but now he needs to find ways to help the Kuomintang win the war.

He gently put down the newspaper in his hand, then shook his head and said: "Dear Chairman, I think it is not a good idea to start a war with the 98th Army now."

"Then what should we do? Do you have any opinions?"

When he thought of the terrifying strength of the 98th Army, Chiang Kai-shek completely lost his mind. In the end, he could only ask Matsui Iwane for help as if he was grasping at a life-saving straw.

Matsui Iwane thought for a while and said to him: "Dear Chairman, please forgive me. With the strength of your army, it is probably a luxury to hope to keep North China. I don't know if the Chairman agrees with my opinion."

After hearing what Matsui Iwane said, Chiang Kai-shek couldn't help but be speechless for a while. Although he wanted to refute, he really couldn't find a reason to refute.

Anyone who is not blind can see the huge gap between the Kuomintang and the 98th Army. That gap is so big that it cannot be easily bridged.

Matsui Iwane didn't want to embarrass Chiang Kai-shek too much, so he continued.

"Dear Chairman, I think we should abandon North China, and then use the natural dangers of the Yangtze River as the boundary to deal with the 98th Army with all our strength."

"Abandon North China? This is impossible! This is absolutely impossible!! I will never give up North China!!!"

After hearing what he said, Chiang Kai-shek flatly refused.

How could he agree to ask the dignified leader of China to give up all of North China?

"I didn't say to directly hand over North China to the 98th Army. What I meant was to send some unstable troops in your army to North China and order them to hold on to those big cities in North China to buy time for us to build the Yangtze River natural barrier. In addition, if

If the situation fails, we can order them to enter the mountains in the north to conduct guerrilla warfare, which can also hold back part of the 98th Army."

Matsui Iwane said to him.

"Unstable troops?"

Chiang Kai-shek's face showed a thoughtful look.

"Yes, the 98th Army will definitely send envoys to lure some of the national troops to their side. Maybe the Huangpu direct descendants of your army can resist their temptation, but the same cannot be said for those miscellaneous troops."

"During the Battle of Shandong, the 98th Army established a good relationship with some of your country's miscellaneous armies. When facing our Japanese army, your army was indeed able to unite. But if it was a civil war, those miscellaneous armies would probably

I will no longer be of the same mind as you, Chairman."

Matsui Iwane said calmly.

After listening to his words, Chiang Kai-shek couldn't help but fell into deep thought.

During the Anti-Japanese War, he certainly knew how he treated the troops under local warlords.

I'm afraid he would also be dissatisfied. On the contrary, the 98th Army was very good to those local troops, donating guns and artillery. In the end, it established a pretty good relationship with those local troops.

Coupled with the fact that the situation is becoming increasingly clear, it makes perfect sense for them to turn to the 98th Army.

At this time, Chiang Kai-shek realized that Lu Mingxuan had actually started planning to close the relationship with those local warlords very early. It seemed that Lu Mingxuan had really had different intentions for a long time.

"By sending those unstable troops to North China, we can not only eliminate the unstable factors within ourselves to prevent them from defecting before the battle, which will lead to the natural barrier of the Yangtze River being breached. We can also delay the 98th Army's attack on Jiangnan. It can be said to kill two birds with one stone."

Matsui Iwane continued to follow the good guidance of Chiang Kai-shek.

After listening to his words, Chiang Kai-shek couldn't help but nodded, and he also admitted that Matsui Iwane's words were very reasonable.

There are indeed too many unstable factors within the Kuomintang. These unstable factors may not be serious when facing the Japanese, but once a civil war breaks out, these unstable factors may kill them.

Although Chiang Kai-shek did not agree immediately, Matsui Iwane could see from Chiang Kai-shek's expression that he probably already agreed with his opinion in his heart.

"I wonder how much assistance your country is willing to provide us this time? And how many troops your country plans to send to help us. If the troops are too small, I am afraid that our family will not be able to stop the 98th Army's attack."

At this time, Chiang Kai-shek said to Matsui Iwane again.

After listening to his words, Matsui Iwane coughed lightly, and then said to Chiang Kai-shek with a little embarrassment: "Our Empire of Japan can provide your army with 3 million yen of military supplies. These military supplies will be collected in a

It will be shipped to Shanghai port within the month.”

"Only 3 million?"

After hearing his words, Chiang Kai-shek couldn't help but said angrily.

3 million is just a penny. Lu Mingxuan dares to sell a Gustav cannon for 10 million, but you have the nerve to say it for 3 million.

"Three million is too little! At least 50 million is needed! Now the 98th Army has refused to sell any weapons to our army. Our army is very short of weapons and ammunition."

Chiang Kai-shek shook his head and said.

"I'm afraid this is a bit difficult, but I will try my best to explain your army's difficulties to the country, and then fight for you."

Matsui Iwane said to him.

In fact, the Japanese government is having a very difficult time now. Since Japan has now entered a wartime economic system and has begun to desperately expand its military and prepare for war, many Japanese people do not have enough to eat or wear warmly.

Coupled with the bombing of the Japanese mainland by the 98th Army, which caused heavy damage to Japan's industry, Japan's military production encountered great difficulties, and it could not even meet its own weapons needs.

If Japan can win successive victories on the battlefield, then forget it, all these difficulties will be covered up under the halo of victory.

But now Japan is losing consecutive battles. Not only has it lost North China and Northeast China, but it has also actively returned places such as Hangzhou to the Kuomintang. This of course makes the Japanese people very dissatisfied.

People in many places held large-scale demonstrations to protest against the Japanese government's weakness and incompetence.

Some far-right elements even threatened to kill some traitors in the Japanese cabinet, which put high-ranking Japanese officials under great pressure.

In this situation of internal and external difficulties, they could not even supply weapons to their own army, so how could they have the ability to provide large-scale weapons assistance to the Kuomintang.

Chiang Kai-shek tried hard to suppress his dissatisfaction with Matsui Iwane, and then continued: "I don't know how many troops your country plans to send to assist our army. If the troops are too small, I'm afraid it will only be a drop in the bucket and will not have much effect."

"We temporarily plan to send 100,000 troops to Shanghai, but this is just the vanguard. We will send more troops to Shanghai soon. Chairman, please rest assured."

Matsui Iwane said.
To be continued...