Volume 1 Teacher Chapter 32 Watching
The wind outside the window was very strong, and it was dark in the distance. It was obvious that it was going to rain soon.
Dai Jiliang leaned silently in his chair, looking as if he was in a trance, letting the wind coming in through the crack in the door blow up and then put down the papers scattered on the table.
After two knocks on the door, it was pushed open. Dai Jiliang woke up in shock. He looked up and found that it was his chief of staff who came in.
"Why, Song Cheng is back from the telegraph office?"
Dai Jiliang sorted out the messy documents in front of him, then looked up and asked.
"What's the news today?"
"It's nothing serious. Old Yuan in Beijing is no longer able to sit on the throne. Look, it seems that he is going to use General Duan as the Secretary of State."
The money that Dai Jiliang left for the eldest son of the Qi family to open a rickshaw shop was not given for nothing. Whenever there was any disturbance in the city, this brother-in-law would send a telegram immediately. He could be regarded as the first intelligence station of Dai Jiliang's system.
Overall, the results are good. Since the end of last year, when Yuan Shikai forcibly proclaimed himself emperor amid widespread opposition, and Cai E, Tang Jiyao and others announced an uprising in Yunnan and launched the National Protection War, these telegrams have never stopped coming.
"However, the Minister's intention is that there is no point in discussing this unless Yuan Shikai abolishes the imperial system."
Knowing the relationship between Duan Qirui and Dai Jiliang, Zhang Zili still respected the former Army Chief.
"What about the province?"
Dai Jiliang shook his head. Beijing was still too far away. The focus was around him. Although Liangzhou was backed by the Qinling Mountains in the north and the Bashan Mountains in the south and was in a semi-closed state, Lu Jianzhang's every move in Xi'an still had a great impact on his isolated army.
"What is our Earl Lu busy with now?"
Thanks to Lu Jianzhang's contribution in persuading the emperor to ascend the throne, Tu Bo is now a true earl of the Chinese Empire.
"Besides killing people, opening brothels, banning tobacco, and raising taxes, what else can our general do?"
In order to become emperor, Yuan Shikai even changed the positions of governors in various places into generals in the Qing Dynasty. However, Zhang Zilii said this in a sarcastic way.
"I said, if you can speak Mengcheng dialect, you can carry a sword on your waist. With this kind of nepotism, you are really going backwards."
"What's the status of the Northwest National Defense Army?"
Due to Lu Jianzhang's perverse actions, the people of Shaanxi were forced to rise up in opposition. Guo Jian and Geng Zhi led the people to meet up with the local armed forces of Cao Shiying and Gao Jun in Baishui and raised the banner of the so-called Northwest National Protection Army.
"They made a lot of noise, and captured more than ten counties in northern Shaanxi."
However, Zhang Zili looked down on these remnants of the Kuomintang who had started out as swordsmen.
"But in my opinion, they are just some chickens and dogs."
"Whether they are just ordinary people or bandits, we must not let our guard down!"
Dai Jiliang naturally knew the power of bandits. Not to mention that the Tang and Ming dynasties ended at the hands of bandits, more than ten years later, new bandits seized the Republic of China.
"Raise the alert of the troops and stop granting leave from now on. I don't think Lu Jianzhang will let us just sit there and watch the show in peace."
"I'll give the order right away."
Zhang Zili nodded, but he asked another question.
"If Lu Jianzhang wants to transfer us north, how many troops will the brigade commander be prepared to send? I can make a plan now."
"Hanzhong is our home base. We can't abandon our home just to save people."
Dai Jiliang put down the newspaper and turned to the map of Hanzhong hanging on the wall and looked at it carefully. Over the past year, he not only spent a week in each company, but also left his footprints in the 11 counties under the jurisdiction of the Hanzhong garrison.
"Do we have enough spare guns?"
"There are more than 200 Hanyang-made ones."
Zhang Zili knew all this data by heart, and it was thanks to Dai Jiliang that he left 50,000 yuan for Sima to use to manage things. Otherwise, with these vampires under Lu Jianzhang, it would be a problem for the Second Brigade to be reorganized and equipped, let alone have inventory.
"Expand E Tao's garrison immediately."
E Tao's garrison regiment originally consisted of two battalions and eight companies, with each company having 150 people. According to Dai Jiliang's idea, it should be expanded into 12 garrison companies, with each company having 120 people.
"Dismiss the battalion headquarters of Chen Fengtao and Ma Dabao, and fill in the staff. Let Ma Dabao be E Tao's deputy, and let Chen Fengtao be assigned to the brigade headquarters as a staff officer."
"The brigade commander wants the first and second regiments to prepare to move north?"
Zhang Zilii frowned. The first and second regiments were no match for the garrison regiment. They were the cream of the Second Mixed Brigade, with three battalions and nine companies plus a complete establishment of baggage and machine gun companies. They were often dispatched to suppress bandits in various parts of Hanzhong. They were the most capable troops. Zhang Zilii was reluctant to send all of them out to work for Lu Jianzhang.
"Brother Park Chu, you know our situation. Although Hanzhong is a plain granary and has convenient trade with three provinces, it is still not enough to support our 5,000 troops!"
Although Lu Jianzhang approved a monthly military budget of 80,000 yuan for the Second Brigade, in reality, except for the first six months, Dai Jiliang received the full amount, and after that he was often reluctant to get even half of it.
In addition, the Second Brigade had to pay bribes to get arms, and the amount of money was even more insufficient. If Hanzhong was not still relatively wealthy and could receive an annual subsidy of 300,000 or 400,000 yuan, and if it were not for the fact that it could often receive some extra income from suppressing bandits, the Second Brigade would have collapsed long ago.
"This time, I plan to give Lu Jianzhang a hard blow. If I don't use our most elite forces, do you think Lord Lu will settle the score easily?"
"The brigade commander is really far-sighted."
Zhang Zilii thought about it and finally turned the corner.
Now he was still making a living in the Beiyang collective. No matter how badly Lu Jianzhang treated him, it was a matter within the family. The Kuomintang wanted to tear down the entire house. Zhang Zili naturally had some sense of propriety in this matter.
"By the way, Brigadier General, the machine arrived early this morning."
"It's today!"
Dai Jiliang was both surprised and delighted. Due to the European war, domestic and foreign purchases of arms had come to a complete halt. All the powerful people in the country had people guarding the gates of major arms factories day and night, and they used all sorts of means to get the goods.
By analogy, the arms stockpile in Shaanxi is also decreasing, and the Second Brigade was able to obtain ammunition supplies from Lu Jianzhang thanks to the power of Brother Kong Fang, but this is not a long-term solution.
To this end, Dai Jiliang tried every possible way, and thanks to the help of Gu Changqing, a Shanghai shipbuilding tycoon, and through various connections such as the China Merchants Steam Navigation Company, he was able to obtain a set of scarce boring machines and vise machines. Although he could not manufacture firearms and ammunition, simple repairs were always possible.
"It's really timely relief. Now we don't have to worry about anything. Let's go and take a look..."
Just when Dai Jiliang was making every effort to prepare for the response, a major change really came unexpectedly.
"In Sichuan, the law-protecting army has won victory after victory, and Yuan Shikai has been forced to announce the abolition of the imperial system."
Wang Feihu was originally an old subordinate of Chen Shufan. This time, Lu Jianzhang transferred Chen from the original Southern Shaanxi Garrison Commander to the Northern Shaanxi Garrison Commander and Weibei Bandit Suppression Commander. His intention was self-evident. It was nothing more than letting the Shaanxi people fight against themselves. Therefore, he was not afraid of danger and went to the enemy camp in person, just to incite the rebellion of this powerful figure, the only one in the former Shaanxi Army who still held military power.
"Old sir, you have to think it over carefully. Lu Tubo has lost the support of the people in Shaanxi in recent years. If you continue to be stubborn, you will be destroyed together with him."
"Brother Feihu, I understand what you mean. Don't worry, Lu Jianzhang asked me to suppress the bandits, just like the story of the Third Brigade fighting Bai Lang. I won't be fooled."
The reason why Chen Shufan was able to survive the reorganization and annexation of the Shaanxi Army was because of his ability to adapt to the changing circumstances. Naturally, he was unwilling to openly oppose Lu while Lu Jianzhang was still powerful.
"When the time comes, we will fire guns into the air and put on a good show for Lu Jianzhang to see."
"Old sir!"
Wang Feihu was about to persuade him again when he saw Chen Shufan took out a telegram. When Wang Feihu took it and looked at it, it was an order from Lu Jianzhang ordering his son Lu Chengwu, Major General of the Beiyang Army and Commander of the 1st Mixed Brigade, to lead the main 1st Regiment to Fuping to attack Guo and Cao.
"The First Regiment of the First Brigade is the absolute main force of the Lu Army, known as the core regiment . It is the original foundation of the Seventh Division's independent regiment. Although it is a regiment, its manpower and equipment are no worse than those of an ordinary infantry brigade."
Although Chen Shufan had the 4th Mixed Brigade under his command, he absolutely did not dare to fight head-on with this core regiment.
"Flying Tiger, we can't just keep fighting and waste all the seeds!"
The words sound nice, but the truth is that he is just cowardly and afraid of fighting.
"Governor, something terrible is happening!"
As he was speaking, Chen Shufan's most trusted confidant Cui Shiqing suddenly rushed in in a panic, and without caring that Wang Feihu was right next to Chen Shufan, he started shouting.
"Hu Liseng is crazy. He has taken his guerrilla battalion to Fuping to fight Lu Chengwu!"
"What!"
Chen Shufan was horrified. Hu Jingyi was too bold to come to Yaozhou on this snowy night. His guerrilla battalion had only more than 300 people, but he actually wanted to fight against the main force of the Lu army of more than 3,000 people doesn't matter if you lose, but you have hurt me badly.
"Old sir, if you don't make a decision, you will suffer the consequences!"
Compared with Chen Shufan's fear, Wang Feihu's face was full of joy, and he immediately gave his advice.
"Old sir, it's time to take action."
"Do it?"
Chen Shufan's face turned pale, but what else could he do now that things had come to this? "Shiqing, take your men to support the monk immediately."
However, Chen Shufan was more cautious. He called Cui Shiqing over and whispered orders in his ear in a voice that Wang Feihu could not hear.
"The first battalion, all wear plain clothes and pretend to be members of the Kuomintang. If Hu Jingyi can't stop you, you can withdraw. If Hu Liseng wins by chance, then you can do whatever you want."
"Understood. I will do it right away."
Everyone is good at playing both sides and watching tigers fight from a mountain. Cui Shiqing immediately nodded and retreated.
Fuping, now the eyes of all Shaanxi are focused here!
