The expeditionary force began to dominate Southeast Asia by recruiting defeated soldiers

Chapter 461: Poaching Begins at Southwest Associated University (Part 2)

In order to entertain the visiting delegation of overseas Chinese from Southeast Asia who came to the north, the United Nations University specially set up a welcoming banquet in the school cafeteria.

Although not gorgeous, the wooden round table was neatly arranged. On the table were several plates of stir-fried shredded potatoes, steamed tofu with bacon, scrambled eggs with pickled vegetables, and two pots of homemade rice wine. The only highlight was a dish of greasy and bright red braised pork.

"The conditions in the rear are tense, and I'm sorry for the negligence. I hope you can forgive me." Principal Mei said modestly.

"No, no," Boss Chen said with a smile, "To be frank, the humbler the food, the better. Otherwise, if you're short on food at the front and short on food at the back, that's just bullshit."

As he spoke, Boss Chen recalled the time in 28 when he was the chairman of the Nanyang Chinese Registrar General Association and organized a comfort group to return to China to investigate the situation of the Anti-Japanese War. The purpose was to report the actual situation of the Anti-Japanese War in China to the overseas Chinese in Southeast Asia and supervise the use of donations.

As a result, in the mountain city, he received lavish banquets from the top leaders of the White Party, and this happened many times. Afterwards, he recorded in his diary that there were "delicacies from land and sea", special cars to pick him up, a guard of honor, and a band, which was a grand occasion.

A single banquet cost 8 silver dollars. Chen Laoda questioned the situation on the spot: "The soldiers on the front lines are still fighting bloody battles and are starving. These donations are from overseas Chinese in Southeast Asia who have tightened their belts and are being wasted like this?"

In the end, the two sides parted ways unhappily, and the man from Shancheng held a grudge against Boss Chen from then on.

At the farewell party in Myitkyina, although the banquet organized by Zhang Chi was sumptuous, Boss Chen thought that since the Japanese had been driven away, it was normal to celebrate.

Boss Chen's insinuations against the White Party made everyone at the table burst into laughter. Even the usually serious Principal Zhang smiled and said, "Mr. Chen's words really put us at ease."

Seeing several professors with pale faces drooling over the plate of braised pork, Chen Lao Da also lamented the difficult conditions of the UN and quickly waved his hand:

"Let's eat, let's eat..."

After three rounds of wine and five dishes, the atmosphere gradually relaxed.

Principal Mei and Principal Zhang sighed frequently.

"Oh? The school is in trouble?" Boss Chen put down his chopsticks, his expression stern.

Principal Zhang spoke first, "Speaking of which, the biggest problem right now isn't on the front lines, but within this campus."

Boss Chen said jokingly, "If you need anything, just let me know. I don't have much, but I still have a couple of dirty bucks."

Everyone looked at each other, seemingly not knowing how to start.

Finally, Principal Mei said softly, "It's still that 'One Hundred Thousand Youths, One Hundred Thousand Armies' thing going on over in Shancheng, with all the slogans and mobilization. It's giving us teachers a headache."

"Are they going to come to the campus and capture students as soldiers?" Boss Chen frowned.

"That's not a direct arrest," Principal Zhang snorted. "But they're really good at inciting people. They talk about 'defending the country' and 'serving the nation with knowledge,' and the students in the audience are so excited they want to throw down their books and go to the battlefield. We can't stop them."

As the Japanese launched "Operation No. 1", the national army suffered heavy losses.

In addition to the outstanding performance of the Anmin Army in continuously conquering cities in Southeast Asia, the man in Shancheng not only shouted the slogan of "100,000 young people and 100,000 soldiers", but also launched a "big plan" to train 50 eagle-equipped divisions and a million-strong army.

Especially after the United States promised to provide enough heavy weapons of all kinds, the White Party needed enough educated young people to operate those planes, tanks, and artillery.

The military leaders were unwilling to let the National Army train and educate themselves, so they turned their attention to the middle school and university students on campus.

The Dean of Academic Affairs from Nankai University was even more excited:

"That guy from Yamashiro has always wanted to get his hands on this school, and this time he finally got his chance."

"Some people are spreading rumors among students that 'not joining the army means you're a coward,' and that 'dying on the battlefield is the highest honor.' Many of the children I teach come from poor families and have finally made it to college. But before they can even put their skills to use, they're being sent off to the battlefield to carry a gun."

Principal Mei was afraid that Boss Chen would misunderstand, so he took the initiative to say:

"Protecting our country is everyone's responsibility. Even if it's my son, I can send him to join the army. But the students are the future of the country, the pillars of society in ten or twenty years."

"These college students, once they pick up a gun, a random bullet on the battlefield can kill them. More than ten years of hard study, all gone in an instant."

"And these sacrificed students may very well be future leaders in various fields of our country. I know it sounds a bit cold-blooded, but from the perspective of return on investment, sending the most intelligent and valuable students into battle is a complete loss-making business."

After listening to what everyone said, Boss Chen quickly understood what they were struggling with.

The students’ patriotic enthusiasm must be affirmed, but has the war situation really deteriorated to the point where it is time to send the best students to the battlefield?

According to the radio, both the Anmin Army and the White Eagle Navy were defeating the Japanese and the situation was very good.

Or is someone doing this purely out of selfish motives?

The leaders of these universities are also well-informed. Someone is planning to let the "Prince" serve as the core leader of the newly formed youth army to pave the way for the future. This news has been circulating for a long time.

So after everyone drank some wine, they started complaining.

Boss Chen was delighted. He was worried that he had no way to trick these teachers and students into going south. This was really like 'just when I was about to doze off, a pillow was delivered'.

He drank the whole glass of wine and thought to himself: If he could give some pointers, maybe he could really persuade a group of people to go south and inject a new wave of academic power into Nanhua University.

-----

The next morning, sunlight poured into the conference room of Southwest Associated University through the window lattices.

Boss Chen sat at one side of the round table, surrounded by several presidents and professors of the United Nations University.

Everyone had a tentative look on their face, as if they vaguely guessed that this big boss from the south had other intentions.

"Dear principals, dear colleagues." After communicating with Zhang Chi using the radio he carried with him last night, Boss Chen already had an idea in his mind. His voice was not loud, but it carried a heavy weight.

"I, Chen, empathize with your difficulties and concerns! Students are the foundation of our country and the hope of the future. Treating them like expendable goods and feeding them into a meat grinder is not the way to save the country; it's self-destruction!"

He slammed the table, making the dishes clatter, and expressed his rare excitement: "I've seen that guy in Shancheng! Is he really so foolish as to think that no one in the world can see through his plan of 'one hundred thousand young men, one hundred thousand soldiers'?"

It's nothing more than paving the way for his 'crown prince', building a ladder to heaven with the corpses of passionate young people! As for the future of the country? Academic inheritance? In their eyes, it's probably not as important as the power in front of them! "

"In recent years, the Japanese army has suffered repeated defeats in Southeast Asia and the Pacific, but has the White Party's army ever launched a large-scale counterattack? Have they ever recaptured a major city?"

"General Zhang has driven away all the Japanese invaders who occupied my hometown, Xingzhou. But what about the hometowns of everyone here?"

These words were so sharp that they were almost piercing to the ears, and everyone present looked unhappy.

"The mountain city is recruiting 100,000 educated young people to join the army. Are they going to fight the Japanese? I don't think so."