20 years of the Republic of China

Chapter 834 Meng Duo
The next morning, the place was bustling with activity.

Where does the excitement come from?
Old Zhang ordered Guo to be executed by firing squad, and the bodies of Guo and his wife to be transported to Xiaheyan Square and left to stand for three days as a warning to others.

The lives of ordinary people are monotonous and dull, with each day a relentless grind. They can watch anything as a spectacle, and back in the Qing Dynasty, beheadings at the execution ground were a major spectacle.

This is even more serious. The dignified commander of the Fengtian Army Corps has been executed and is just sitting there waiting to be seen. Everyone has to go and check on him.

The word spread like wildfire, and before long, half the city's population was flocking to the riverbank to relax and unwind.

Although the Guo rebellion was quelled, it dealt a huge blow to Fengzhang.

The elite troops were almost wiped out, and countless people were killed or wounded. Putting those aside for now, the most important thing was that morale had collapsed.

Prior to this, the Fengtian Army was known as the "Five Tiger Generals".

Guo Guizi, Jiang Chaoliu, Li Jianxian, Han Linchun, and Zhang Xiaokun each possess unique abilities and are all capable individuals.

It was precisely because of these five generals that Lao Zhang was able to enter the pass and become a hero.

But what about now?

Guo Guizi was executed on the spot, Jiang Chaoliu lost his life in Luanzhou, and Li Jianxian broke away from Fengtian and established his own regime. This already resulted in the loss of three great generals.

Although Zhang Xiaokun did not rebel, he held sway over Shandong and obeyed orders but not decrees. For Zhang, he was too powerful to be controlled and difficult to manage.

After all the calculations, the Fengtian Army now only has Han Linchun left.

However, Han Linchun's main job was in the military industry, and he was mediocre at leading troops in battle, which explains the losses suffered by the Fengtian Army.

A thousand troops are easy to get, but a general is hard to find.

Anyone with a discerning eye could tell that Old Zhang wouldn't be able to recover from this shock anytime soon.

Originally, Lao Zhang valued talent above all else when it came to hiring people, but that has changed now.

After several years of military reorganization and modernization, the Fengtian Army's combat strength improved, but it also cultivated a group of traitors.

Old Zhang realized that no matter how capable he was, nothing was more important than "loyalty," so he reinstated the old guard, and the Fengtian Army underwent a round of purges and replacements.

Some lost their power, while others were promoted in name only; the ups and downs of officialdom need no further elaboration.

But in any case, the crisis in Fengtian was resolved, and people from all walks of life gradually recovered, with the common people being the happiest.

The night before, the city was filled with the sounds of gongs, drums, and firecrackers, making it even more lively than the Lunar New Year.

Even this morning, the festive spirit hadn't faded; people from every household were out on the streets, as the Lunar New Year was approaching and it was time to prepare for the festivities...

……

A teahouse not far from Xiaoheyan in the south of Fengtian City.

Nanfeng and Mengduo were sitting facing each other in a private room, drinking tea.

Outside the window, there was a bustling crowd, a cacophony of voices, as people rushed to the riverbank to watch the excitement.

Wang Zhengnan seemed a bit absent-minded. His hands trembled when he picked up the teacup, and he slurred his words when he cracked sunflower seeds. He looked like he had something on his mind.

Seeing this, Meng Duo couldn't help but stop drinking and ask, "Second Brother, what's wrong?"

Wang Zhengnan snapped out of his daze, thought for a moment, and sighed, "Meng, now it's just the two of us here. Give me the truth: did you betray your employer?"

"Second Brother, even you don't believe me?" Meng Duo's eyes widened. "That night, when you asked me to go to the Jiang family, didn't I already make it clear? I don't know Qin Huaimeng at all. Even if I did, I have nothing to betray!"

“How could there not be?” Wang Zhengnan said, “Back then, you were the first to tell the boss about Guo’s rebellion, and you were also the first to suggest that the boss seek refuge in the concession. These are all intelligence about the Jiang family’s movements. You may not think much of it, but these could very well cost the boss his life!”

"But I really didn't betray my employer! I swear to God!"

"Forget it, God can't help us."

"Second brother, how do you want me to prove my innocence?"

Meng Duo looked quite aggrieved and hurriedly said, "The Jiang family has been incredibly kind to me. My elder brother and sister-in-law are like my second parents. I know perfectly well who helped me get to where I am today. How could I possibly repay kindness with enmity and turn around to harm the Jiang family for a little money? Would I even be human?"

Wang Zhengnan was silent for a moment, then waved his hand and said, "Hey, it's not that I don't trust you, I'm just afraid that you might accidentally leak the news without even realizing it."

Jiang Lianheng had said the same thing, but Meng Duo couldn't remember when he had inadvertently let the news slip.

After much thought, the most likely place where he might have overlooked something was when he helped the Jiang family try to book a hotel in the concession, but that was unavoidable.

Moreover, when he tried to book a room, he used his own name and did not mention the Jiang family.

Seeing that he couldn't remember, Wang Zhengnan asked again, "Also, I have another question. How did you get involved with the 'Manchu-Mongolian Culture Association'?"

"What's wrong with that?" Meng Duo retorted. "Doesn't the master allow it?"

"It's not that it's forbidden, it's just that I'm a little curious. You're not a Manchu, so why would you join that kind of association?"

"Oh, that's just a name. Actually, it's not just about studying Manchu and Mongolian culture; it's more like an academic seminar, or... a cultural salon, you know what I mean?"

"salon?"

Wang Zhengnan often mingled with foreigners and was familiar with the term, but for some reason, the mention of a salon immediately conjured up images of a wealthy woman's living room, a eloquent gigolo, and an impotent old woman. He then subconsciously asked, "A woman who has affairs?"

"Huh?" Meng Duo was dumbfounded and quickly waved his hand, saying, "No, no, no, it's not what you're talking about. It's for academic exchanges, discussing topics like history and culture!"

"So you joined?"

"Uh... to be honest, I did pretty well in school, so my teacher wrote me a letter of recommendation to become a member there and get to know some cultural celebrities, saying it would be good for my future development."

I almost forgot, Meng Duo was an outstanding student at Tongwen Commercial School, a true leader among his peers.

His invitation to participate in the cultural association organized by the Japanese, whether as a translator or a part-time clerk, was perfectly reasonable and not surprising.

Wang Zhengnan was a little curious, and then asked, "Wait a minute, aren't you studying business? Why are you studying history and culture now?"

Meng Duo was taken aback and said, "A hobby? That doesn't count as betraying the Jiang family, does it?"

"No, I just wanted to ask what you guys usually research?"

"Well... let's take the topic from the last meeting as an example. The main content was to argue that 'there was no more China after the Battle of Yamen.' Everyone spoke freely."

"Where is Yai Mountain?" Wang Zhengnan didn't understand.

Meng Duo smiled awkwardly and could only give a brief overview of the historical anecdote, interspersed with arguments and evidence from many Japanese scholars.

Wang Zhengnan was even more confused after hearing this. He scratched his head and said, "Wait a minute, according to you, I'm not Chinese anymore?"

Meng Duo was also momentarily stunned, and stammered, "This problem is quite complicated."

Wang Zhengnan glanced at his watch: "There's still enough time, you can continue."

"Well, actually I don't have any profound insights. They're just things I heard from that association. If you want to hear them, Second Brother, just consider it as me picking up scraps from someone else's words!" Meng Duo sat up straight, took a sip of tea, and adopted the demeanor of a gentleman.

"At first, I also thought I was Chinese, but the more I learned, the more I felt something was off. Let's not go back too far, let's start with the Guangxu Reform! What were their plans?"

"Yes, what are your plans?"

"They plan to sell all of the regions beyond the Great Wall, the Mongolian Plateau, the Western Regions, and Tibet to foreigners in exchange for money to carry out reforms. They even want to invite Japanese people to take charge and realize the union of the two countries. Tell me, did they ask for our opinion from beginning to end?"

"I was too young then, so I don't remember much."

“Second Brother, they just treated us like commodities!” Meng Duo sighed and said indignantly, “Later, the Qing Dynasty fell, and the Iron-Blooded Eighteen-Star Flag was raised in the south. What does this mean? In the eighteen provinces of Han China, is there any place for us?”

Wang Zhengnan thought for a moment and said, "I do have a vague recollection of that, but wasn't it later changed to nineteen stars?"

"That's because some scoundrels outside the Great Wall protested. Otherwise, where would the nineteen-star flag come from, let alone the five-colored flag? Think about it again, why did the Japanese support the overthrow of the Qing Dynasty, and what is the relationship between the Tongmenghui and the Black Dragon Society?"

"what relationship?"

Meng Duo hesitated, then waved his hand and said, "It's hard to say... Anyway, I understand now. In the eyes of those people inside the Great Wall, they have never regarded us as their own. You consider yourself Chinese, but they treat you as an outsider! You can't force a deal. Since that's the case, why should we force ourselves to be together? Being Chinese isn't some kind of 'hot commodity.' Can't I just give up on it?"

Wang Zhengnan frowned and muttered quietly, "If you're not Chinese, then who are you?"

"I am a Manchu, Manchuria!"

"Oh, your ancestors were from the Manchu banner?"

"This has nothing to do with being in the banner. It's like closing the border and establishing autonomy, splitting up the partnership, or being met with indifference. It would be better to just do what's done in the northern desert."

"But you're speaking Chinese..."

"So what?" Meng Duo asked curiously. "Second Brother, others may not know, but don't you know? Americans speak English too, they're not British!"

Wang Zhengnan racked his brains but couldn't find a rebuttal. He just felt something was off, so he smiled and said, "You scholars think a lot."

“Of course, Mr. Zhou said that everything needs to be studied in order to be understood.” Meng Duo relaxed, then suddenly asked, “Second brother, why did you think of asking about this? If you are interested, I can introduce you to become a member, or you can sit in on classes. The more you learn, the more profound your views on the current situation will be.”

"I'll pass on that!" Wang Zhengnan waved his hand and said, "I asked you about this mainly because Qin Huaimeng is also a member of the 'Manchu-Mongolian Culture Association'."

"Really? I didn't know that... Maybe he just sponsored the event and was just a figurehead. Anyway, I never heard of him when he gave academic lectures."

"But this 'Japan-China Friendship Association' was held in the Cultural Association building."

"Yes, I know!" Meng Duo nodded and said, "Second Brother, don't worry, I've remembered all the tasks the boss assigned me, and I signed up a few days ago! When the meeting comes, I will definitely report his situation truthfully and will not let the boss down!"

As he spoke, he glanced down at his watch again: "The goodwill event starts at ten in the morning, two hours from now. Second brother, I have to go."

"Okay, be careful on the road, watch your back, and don't follow anyone."

"Don't worry, wait for my good news!"

"Meng Duo—"

Wang Zhengnan suddenly called out to him.

Meng Duo stood at the door of the private room, turned around in response, and asked with a slightly puzzled look, "Second Brother, is there something else?"

Wang Zhengnan stared at him silently for a while, then asked in a low voice, "If one day the Japanese ask you to betray the Jiang family, or ask you to do something that might harm the Jiang family, what would you do?"

Meng Duo was taken aback, then laughed and said, "How could that be? Japanese people aren't that bad. My school teachers are all very nice people."

Wang Zhengnan shook his head: "You didn't answer my question."

Meng Duo was stunned, immediately put away his smile, and said very solemnly, "I will tell the boss to make preparations in advance. I will do my best to help the Jiang family get out of trouble."

Wang Zhengnan nodded: "Go ahead, but don't be too obvious when you're trying to get closer to them later."

Meng Duo said goodbye, "Alright, I'll be going now."

The door opened and closed, and the private room returned to silence.

Wang Zhengnan sat in the teahouse for a while longer, looked out the window, and saw that the crowds on the street were gradually thinning before settling down and leaving.

He went downstairs, hailed a rickshaw, and headed to Nanji Grain and Oil Shop.

With the war over, Wang Zhengnan's business finally reopened.

During this period, the grain and oil shop lost a lot of money, mainly because the Fengtian Army requisitioned a lot of grain. Fortunately, Nanfeng had stockpiled supplies in front of the station and, with Wutian Xin's advice, he sold off his stock first. As a result, although the grain and oil shop lost some money, he himself made a fortune through speculation and profiteering. In the end, he still made a fortune.

However, Wang Zhengnan has always been low-key, perhaps because he was afraid of hunger when he was a child. No matter how much extra money he earned outside, he was unwilling to give up his business in the grain and oil shop.

Entering the store's accounting room, Cheng Fang was busy calculating on her abacus, checking recent profits and losses. As soon as she saw Nan Feng enter, she looked up and said, "You're finally back! I've been calculating the accounts at home for ages, and they just don't add up!"

Wang Zhengnan gave a vague answer, then waved his hand and said, "If it doesn't match, so be it. We can make up for it elsewhere anyway, so it's not a big deal. The city has been in chaos lately, so maybe someone is stealing grain. Don't pursue it."

"Nonsense, I've never seen anyone steal grain and then lock the door before leaving."

"Maybe the buddy stole it, let it go."

Cheng Fang glared at him: "You're just going to protect him!"

"Nonsense! Whom am I protecting?" Wang Zhengnan retorted. "What do you take my brother for? If Xifeng wants grain, why would he bother stealing from me?"

"I'm not talking about Xifeng, I'm talking about his bunch of filthy beggars. They were the ones who came to watch the grain store that night, and look what happened—they stole from the store! Look at these accounts, see how much they stole..."

"I won't watch it, you can just consider it paying them protection money, okay?"

"What a joke!" Cheng Fang slammed her hand on the table and stood up. "You're the second master of the Jiang family, for goodness' sake. They protect your territory, and you still have to pay them protection money. How can you be so spineless? Besides, how much have we given them? They come to borrow grain every few days. Now they've switched to stealing; I'm afraid they'll switch to robbing in the future! How are we supposed to do business like this?"

With that, he stepped towards the door.

Wang Zhengnan quickly called out to her, "Stand there, what are you doing?"

"I'm going to complain to my sister-in-law. Shouldn't Xifeng teach his men a lesson?"

"Just shut up for a second!" Wang Zhengnan grabbed his wife. "Your wife is busy enough right now. Haven't you seen how badly her health has deteriorated? She coughs after just a few words. Don't bother her with your trivial matters!"

"That's ridiculous!" Cheng Fang said, waving her hand. "Big Brother said a few days ago that he wanted to keep Xifeng under tight control. If you all keep quiet and don't complain, won't they cause a huge uproar later?"

"It's not the time to deal with them. The most important thing right now is to deal with Qin Huaimeng. As long as the Qin family doesn't fall, killing those who surrender is not an option. Lai Zi and his gang have only stolen some grain. What are you going to do with your elder brother and sister-in-law? If we punish them now, what will the Shan Gang think? You better stay put and don't cause any more trouble!"

"Fine! Wang Zhengnan, I'm demanding justice for our little family. You won't help me, and you're even insulting me? I'm going back to my parents' house!"

Wang Zhengnan didn't reply, but suddenly pulled a small box from his pocket, threw it on the table, and said, "Are you still going back to your parents' home?"

Cheng Fang opened the box and saw a pure gold necklace. She was immediately delighted and stopped mentioning going back to her parents' home. She just kept looking for a mirror to put it on, but she still wouldn't let it go, insisting, "Hmph, I told you! You can guard against anything day or night, but it's hard to guard against a thief in your own home!"

This time, Wang Zhengnan didn't refute, but muttered somewhat absentmindedly, "With such a large family and business, you can't see into people's hearts. My sister-in-law isn't a saint either; there will always be times when she can't take care of everything. It's not like before, when we only had a dozen or so loyal brothers. Our power was smaller, but our hearts were united..."

(End of this chapter)