Chapter 29: Miss Manli's Interview; They Are the True Heroes.

As the Chinese defensive forces were finalizing their tactical plans, the Itagaki Division, commanding its 21st Brigade along with the 2nd and 15th Independent Mixed Brigades, began gathering near Dai County and launched an offensive against Dai, Guo, and Yuanping counties.

The day after Chu Yunfei had requested to engage the enemy, he had yet to receive a reply from the headquarters of the Second War Zone. Instead, a delegation of journalists and special envoys arrived in Xing County from Nanjing.

There were five in total. Leading the group was Liu Fei, Vice Minister of the Ministry of War and a Lieutenant General serving as the Director of the First Bureau of the Ministry of Military Affairs. Accompanying him was Qian Zhaoyou, a Major and staff officer who had graduated in the fifth class of the Whampoa Military Academy. Having deeply admired Lu You during his youth, he had adopted the courtesy name "Wuguan." He was also an old acquaintance and former classmate of Chu Yunfei. The group also included Miss He Manli, a reporter from the Central News Agency, and Yang Congyun, a guard from the Office of the Aide-de-Camp, among others.

During his time at Whampoa, Chu Yunfei had few friends, and consequently, no particularly close ties with his peers. Ultimately, while he knew most of them, he had no deep connections with any. After graduation, Chu, a native of Wutai, returned to Shanxi to serve under Yan Xishan. Theoretically, as a Whampoa graduate, his prospects should have been limited. However, Chu was an eccentric talent. Among the fifth class of Whampoa, he had actually fared the best and climbed the highest. Many of his classmates were still merely serving as major-level staff officers or regimental adjutants, while he had already become a colonel with real command over a regiment.

The fifth class of Whampoa was unique. Due to its specific circumstances, many of its most prominent students had joined the Communist Party, leaving few who achieved fame or high office within the Nationalist military. Qian Zhaoyou was one of the few who remained. After years of marking time, frustrated by his inability to kill the enemy and serve his country, he had heard of Chu Yunfei’s spirited performance and the thousands of enemy soldiers killed at Ruyue Pass—a victory that had restored the prestige of the Chinese military. Filled with admiration, he had volunteered for this mission. When He Yingqin learned they were former classmates, he convinced Chiang Kai-shek to appoint Qian as the leader of the delegation. Having traveled thousands of miles to visit his old classmate, Qian naturally arrived with an agenda.

"General Liu, you have traveled a long way. Thank you for your hard work!"

Liu Fei smiled, gestured slightly with his hand, and returned a salute. "I have been ordered by the Generalissimo to conduct an investiture ceremony on his behalf. I must also offer my congratulations to Colonel Chu."

"It is merely my duty, General Liu. Please, this way?"

Liu Fei waved his hand in refusal. "The journey has been exhausting, and my back is aching quite badly. I must rest first... Besides myself, an old friend of yours has come along as well."

"Oh?" Chu Yunfei raised an eyebrow, surprised, and looked toward the back of the group.

A man wearing glasses, with an oval face, neatly cropped hair, and an immaculate Nationalist army major’s uniform, stepped forward. "Brother Yunfei, it has been ten years since we last met in Wuhan."

Chu Yunfei quickly scanned his memory. The names of his classmates flashed by before settling on one, and he exclaimed in surprise, "Brother Wuguan, it’s you!"

"I shall not disturb your reunion for now. Colonel Chu, please have all the officers who are to be decorated gather at the regimental headquarters."

"Yes. Sun Ming, see to the accommodations for General Liu and his party."

"General Liu, please!"

Sun Ming stepped forward to lead the others to the guest quarters, while Qian Zhaoyou, at Chu’s gesture, followed him to the reception room.

Inside, Qian and Chu chatted pleasantly. Having inherited the memories of the original Chu Yunfei, he still had some recollection of his old classmate. The entire fifth class of Whampoa had been forced to graduate under unusual circumstances, and many had joined the Communist Party to participate in uprisings. Qian Zhaoyou, however, was an anomaly—someone who was ignored, yet remained steadfastly loyal to the Nationalist Party. He had no particular merits; compared to the outstanding performances of Zheng Tingji or Qiu Xingxiang, he was as mediocre as a student could be.

Although they were classmates, the gap in their status was now vast. As they reminisced, Chu realized that Qian’s words were filled with flattery and occasional hints of envy. This dampened Chu’s desire for nostalgia. Among the entire fifth class, with the exception of Qiu Xingxiang, who had gained the favor of Chen Cheng and held a slightly higher position, Chu Yunfei was arguably the most successful of the lot. Chu was not surprised by Qian’s behavior, but he did not enjoy the sycophancy. To him, it was no different from empty noise.

"Brother Wuguan, does the Generalissimo have any specific instructions for this visit?"

Qian Zhaoyou smiled, his tone rising with excitement at having been summoned by Chiang Kai-shek. "Before I departed, he specifically summoned me to relay a message. The Generalissimo is very concerned for you, his outstanding student, and hopes you will continue to strive for excellence and earn merit in battle. Furthermore..." Qian lowered his voice slightly. "General He appreciates you greatly. Before I left, he asked me about your situation..."

Chu Yunfei felt speechless. It was understandable for Chiang Kai-shek to try to recruit him. But why would He, a known appeaser of Japan, send someone to approach him? Chu had no respect for any of He's "Four Great Vajras," let alone any desire to curry favor with the man himself. In Chu’s view, even Yan Xishan, who danced on the edge of a knife, was at least a fellow native of his province. For He Yingqin to use such a distant connection to send a classmate to lobby him—was he not just wasting time?

Having grasped the true "task" of Qian’s visit, Chu lost all interest in further reminiscing. Coincidentally, Sun Ming had finished his arrangements and was standing at the door without interrupting. Chu glanced at him, and Sun immediately spoke up.

"Report!"

"Come in!"

"Regimental Commander, General Liu and his party have been settled. Miss Manli would like to conduct an exclusive interview with you first."

Chu Yunfei hesitated slightly, looking at his classmate with a troubled expression. Qian Zhaoyou, being tactful, realized that Chu was uninterested in He Yingqin. "Brother Yunfei, official business comes first."

"Very well. I will have someone take you to rest, and we can talk more tonight."

"Agreed!"

Chu Yunfei walked out and headed toward the courtyard, where Miss Manli of the Central News Agency was already waiting with her notebook.

"General Chu, hello. I am a reporter from the Central News Agency."

"Miss Manli, sorry to have kept you waiting." Chu Yunfei smiled and nodded.

Miss Manli was professional and immediately dived into the interview. "General, in the battle at Ruyue Pass, you annihilated countless enemies and restored the prestige of the National Revolutionary Army. Many of your colleagues praise your command, and many citizens consider you a hero of the Party and State. May I ask how you managed to achieve such a victory while suffering from a complete disadvantage in both manpower and firepower?"

Chu Yunfei cleared his throat and gathered his thoughts. "The battle at Ruyue Pass was vital to the overall situation in northern Shanxi. Only through victory could we buy time for the concentration of our friendly main forces." He paused, meeting Miss Manli’s curious gaze. "As for how we won despite the disadvantage in firepower and manpower, I must say that this was not the work of Chu Yunfei alone. I am not a hero of the Party and State. Those soldiers who fought bravely on the battlefield, those martyrs who sacrificed their lives at Ruyue Pass..." Chu’s eyes filled with deep affection and sorrow as he looked at her. "They are the true heroes!"