Volume 2 King of the Northwest Chapter 28: Questioning
Following the telegram from Li Genyuan, who took office as the Shaanxi Security Commander, a horrifying scene occurred in the city of Xi'an at the end of 1916.
Thousands of fully armed Shaanxi Army soldiers tightly surrounded the current Shaanxi Provincial Governor's Office, the former Shaanxi Governor's Mansion. The Yuanmen Square in front of the provincial government was filled with either drills or assassination and fighting training all day long. The shouts of killing reminded many Xi'an citizens of the horrific night half a year ago.
Of course, with such a serious situation in the provincial capital, not only were ordinary people worried, but even Li Yuanding, Guo Xiren and other Kuomintang predecessors could no longer sit still, so they came together to question Shaanxi Governor Dai Jiliang.
"Mr. Ziyi, Mr. Shizhai, you shouldn't blame Zhixiang for this matter."
In the reception room of the Governor-General's Mansion, Dai Jiliang arrogantly refuted several old Kuomintang members.
"Brother Qu Shi said that the situation is unstable and the people still feel insecure, bandits are rampant, so he wants to use a security team to protect the neighbors. I sent him a team to protect him closely. What's the big deal?"
Dai Jiliang looked at the two people who were dumbfounded and decided not to make things more complicated.
"Relax, seniors from Shaanxi Province. Zhixiang will not let Fengcheng be attacked by soldiers again. I guarantee this with my personal integrity. You can also tell the people in the provincial capital to stay calm."
"Marshal, it is indeed Governor Li who is wrong in this matter. The governor is in charge of the civil affairs and finances of a province, and the military governor is in charge of the military affairs of a province. These are official ranks clearly defined by the central government. What do you think? Should both sides take a step back? Governor Li gives up the position of security commander, and you withdraw the Shaanxi troops from the city."
Li Yuanding and Guo Xiren were actually not satisfied with the radical approach of Li Genyuan and Han Wangchen. It was rare that Dai Jiliang, the governor, cared about people's livelihood and focused on developing education and local industries. Not only did they fight for power, but they also crossed the line and interfered with military power. It was no wonder that Dai Jiliang would fight back.
"Zhi Xiang already has 20,000 soldiers under his command, so how can he care about this so-called security commander? If Brother Qu Shi wants to lead the army himself, then let him lead the army himself."
Dai Jiliang did not back down at all.
"By the way, since you two are here, please take away next year's education fees and the special fees for water conservancy and forestry."
Dai Jiliang didn't want to mention this matter anymore, so he avoided the question.
"Someone, go and ask Deputy Director Wang of the Finance Department to come over."
After instructing his adjutant Li Dingzhang to go and ask for help, Dai Jiliang turned around and spoke to Li and Guo.
"For these two sums of money, Deputy Director Wang was repeatedly scolded by Brother Wangchen!"
Dai Jiliang poured a basin of dirty water on Han Jun without blushing or beating his heart.
"Not only did northern Shaanxi not pay the autumn tax, but it also repeatedly asked the provincial finance department to allocate military funds. The province doesn't have the money. I delayed paying the central government's taxes this year. I finally kept my promise and left these two sums of money for you two. Director Han waved his hand and wanted to send it to northern Shaanxi. Deputy Director Wang refused to do it, and Brother Wangchen scolded him in the department. I won't say much to you two."
"this?"
Li Yuanding and Guo Xiren didn't know whether to respond or not at this moment, and they felt extremely awkward for a moment.
"Mr. Ziyi, Mr. Shizhai!"
Dai Jiliang was now in a dominant position and he clapped his hands and Li Dingzhang walked in again. Dai Jiliang whispered a few words and soon a stack of petitions was brought in.
"This is a petition from the people of northern Shaanxi accusing Guo Jian of letting his soldiers harm the people in their hometown. It's covered in blood and tears. Do you think I should send someone to arrest him?"
Arresting Guo Jian would immediately provoke a civil war in Shaanxi. Li Yuanding and Guo Xiren were even more speechless.
"Deputy Director Wang is here."
The reception room was so depressing that it was suffocating, but fortunately, Wang Shifeng walked in soon, and Dai Jiliang stood up and said with a smile.
"I won't say much else. Now is the best time for Shaanxi's construction. Unfortunately, some people still hold the view of party unity and extermination of dissidents and act recklessly. I will not tolerate such people. Please tell them, Mr. Ziyi and Mr. Shizhai, that it is not that I will not report it, but the time has not come yet. When the time comes, all will be reimbursed."
Looking at the two people whose faces turned blue and red, Dai Jiliang shook his head.
"Deputy Director Wang, please hand over next year's accounts to the two great sages. I won't send them off later. Deputy Director Wang, please stay for a while. I have other things to do."
After saying that, Dai Jiliang walked away, leaving behind a few people looking at each other in bewilderment.
"Master, Guangye has been looking for a house recently. It seems that he wants to stay in Xi'an for a long time."
Guo Sinan had been waiting in an office not far from the reception room. Since Zhang Xun and Zhang Boying stayed in Luoyang and had not entered Shaanxi for a long time, he had enough manpower to monitor every move of the Japanese businessmen.
"Every day, apart from waiting for telegrams at the telegraph office, he just wanders around. He doesn't look at all like he was in a hurry the past two days."
"Wandering around?"
Dai Jiliang suddenly remembered something.
"Damn, this guy is measuring the direction and orientation of the streets in Xi'an."
As soon as these words were spoken, Guo Bingchang's face changed. The Japanese devils could actually develop their espionage methods to this extent. In this way, as long as Hirono walked around the city a few times, Xi'an would be defenseless against the Japanese.
"Marshal, why don't we just send someone to kill him?"
Guo Sinan suddenly lost his composure and gave Dai Jiliang a bad idea.
"Nonsense! This will cause a diplomatic dispute."
On the one hand, the country is weak and the Japanese are powerful. On the other hand, the deal between him and the other party has not been completed. Either way is Hirono's amulet. No wonder the other party is so rampant.
"I still say the same thing. Keep an eye on these little devils and see if anyone is willing to be a traitor. I don't believe that if we can't discipline the Japanese, we can't discipline the Chinese either."
"I understand."
Guo Bingchang nodded and quietly retreated.
"Is Deputy Director Wang's story over?"
Dai Jiliang sat there for a while with a fierce look on his face, then he remembered what he had told Wang Shifeng to do, so he immediately asked his adjutant to summon him, and soon Wang Shifeng appeared in front of Dai Jiliang.
"Deputy Director Wang, please take a seat. I wonder if your sister agreed to the last matter?"
Dai Jiliang is still thinking about the other person's daughter.
"General, my sister and her husband have no children, so they are planning to take in a son-in-law."
Wang Shifeng's words were naturally a tactful refusal. Dai Jiliang had four wives and many children, so it was naturally impossible for her to marry into his family. It seemed that Wang Shifeng considered it over and over again and decided that family ties were the most important thing.
"Why is that so difficult?"
To be honest, Wang Shifeng's refusal actually made Dai Jiliang interested. You know, he didn't want his subordinates to be slaves. What he needed now were those who were capable and had some integrity.
"You also know that this commander-in-chief already has a son in his family, and now both wives are pregnant, so there is no shortage of children. If we can marry someone good, the child we have in the future can naturally be adopted by the Liu family."
Dai Jiliang was determined to get him. If Wang Shifeng refused again, no matter how much Dai Jiliang valued his talents, he would not be able to keep him.
"It is a kind gesture from the Marshal. I hope I go back and discuss it with my brother-in-law and sister."
Wang Shifeng's face suddenly fell. Dai Jiliang's meaning was very clear. He had no choice but to adopt a delaying tactic, and delay it for one day at a time.
"That's good. The New Year is coming soon."
Dai Jiliang nodded. He had no shortage of women around him, so naturally he wouldn't appear so impatient in front of Wang Shifeng.
"After the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, I will participate in the Shaanxi Army's joint performance. How about this? On the fourteenth day, I will pay New Year's greetings to the deputy director, hoping to get good news."
"How dare I trouble you, Marshal, so I will personally wish you a happy new year in the first month of the year."
Wang Shifeng's face changed. Dai Jiliang came to his house in person to wish him a happy new year. That was like a night owl bringing bad luck. Wang Shifeng would not agree to anything he said.
"Okay!"
Dai Jiliang gave the other party a way out.
"By the way, is Mr. Liu still running the restaurant? Let me put it this way. I am planning to build a large hotel in Xi'an. I wonder if he is interested in taking a stake. Even if he wants to run it independently, that's not impossible."
The girl hasn't even been married yet, but he has already promised her father-in-law a huge profit. Dai Jiliang's move immediately made Wang Shifeng laugh and cry.
"Okay, I'll wait for Director Wang's good news."
"I'm leaving now."
Although Dai Jiliang's words at the end were ambiguous, Wang Shifeng had no intention of thinking about them. When he heard that Dai Jiliang wanted to see him off, he immediately felt as if he had been pardoned. He bowed, ran away without looking back, which made Dai Jiliang behind him chuckle.
"Report, Director Sima is back."
Just as he was laughing, Li Dingzhang knocked on the door and came in, revealing a person behind him, which immediately made Dai Jiliang overjoyed.
"It's good to be back!"
Dai Jiliang stood up suddenly, walked around the desk, took a few steps, looked carefully at Sima who saluted him respectfully, and punched the other's chest with his hand.
"Good boy, it seems that Zhang Xuanshuai's food is good. You have gained weight. Come and sit down. Let's talk!"
"yes!"
Sima followed Dai Jiliang and waited until Dai Jiliang sat down before he sat down.
"Marshal, I didn't do my job well."
"It's hard to leave your hometown. This is not your fault."
Dai Jiliang shook his head. He had already expected that his parents would not want to come to Xi'an.
"Let's talk about Xuzhou."
"yes!"
So Sima recounted his experiences of the past few months in detail.
"Now the warlords have moved to Beijing. I guess it's still about declaring war. The president is holding back on passing it, and Sun Yat-sen is inciting southern congressmen to move south. I think the prime minister is also in a dilemma."
Dai Jiliang listened quietly and sighed. It was indeed very difficult to get things done in China. As the Prime Minister, he had to use the double-edged sword of the Supervisory Corps, which hurt both himself and others, to gain freedom of action under the system of responsible cabinet. This was simply unimaginable abroad.
Regardless of whether Duan Qirui had ulterior motives for joining the war, the Duan Cabinet's vision was indeed correct. Not to mention other war dividends, at least the Boxer Indemnity to Germany and Austria naturally did not have to be paid, and the indemnities of other countries were either agreed to be delayed or waived on their own initiative. Although Shandong's rights and interests were finally lost due to the bargaining of the great powers, this was only due to the country's lack of strength, not because of the participation in the war itself. If they had not participated in the war, they would not even be able to obtain the above-mentioned benefits, let alone Shandong.
"Okay, go out and gain more knowledge."
Dai Jiliang nodded, expressing his approval of the results of Sima's trip to Xuzhou.
"In this case, you don't have to return to your post as adjutant director . Go to the Quartermaster Department. Chu Gan asked him to be the director of the Ordnance Department. You can be the director of the Quartermaster Department. In addition, you should also hand over the affairs of the Shanfu Company to Director Wang. From now on, you will be the God of Wealth of our Shaanxi Army.
Do it well and don't let me down.
By the way, Director E is not here right now. When he comes back, you can go and receive your rank of lieutenant colonel."
"Thank you for your appreciation, Marshal!"
Sima stood up immediately. It only took him four years to go from second lieutenant to lieutenant colonel. Although this was also due to the continuous expansion of Dai Jiliang's troops, he would not have been promoted so quickly without Dai Jiliang's support.
Therefore, gratitude is inevitable.
"I don't want to hear nonsense, I only look at the results of the work."
Dai Jiliang stood up and waved his hand.
"As I said before, work hard, if our group does well, everyone will be well."
