The Ming Dynasty began from Sarhu

Chapter 822 Marshal Zhang

Wanping City is located east of Lugou Bridge, and the Yongding River flows gently under the city.

Construction began in 1638, the 1928th year of the Chongzhen reign of the Ming Dynasty, and took three years to complete. Originally a military camp, it was later converted into commercial and residential areas. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, it was known as Gongbei City and Gongji City. In December 12, as Wanping County was transferred to Hebei Province, the Wanping County government office was moved from Beiping City to Gongji City, and the city was renamed Wanping City.

At an inn near Shunzhi Gate in the east of the city, Qi Meng met Marshal Zhang.

Before this, Qi Meng had only been in contact with Marshal Zhang's chief guard and had never seen this true god.

Marshal Zhang is well known to everyone. His father made his fortune between the White Mountains and the Black Waters. He came from a humble background and became the true King of the Northeast during the turbulent times.

When Marshal Zhang was alive, he led his troops into the pass several times and provoked the Zhi-Feng War, intending to seize the Central Plains and relive the so-called "emperor dream". Unfortunately, he was killed by the Japanese before his dream was halfway through.

Later, the young marshal handed over the three northeastern provinces to Japan, and in just a few months, he completely destroyed the family business that his father had worked hard for a lifetime. The saying "a tiger father, a dog son" is probably true.

~~~~~
Marshal Zhang had just returned from a trip to Italy. He was wearing a fashionable flight jacket, holding a cigar in his mouth, sitting on an armchair with his legs crossed.

He had a thin face and looked a bit like a vegetarian in later generations. He was not tall and had a slightly hunched back. He had thick long black hair and bright eyes.

To be fair, this image is indeed far from the legendary handsome and elegant man.

This was Qi Meng's first close contact with a hero of the Republic of China.

Marshal Zhang, just turned thirty, was the largest warlord in the north. He controlled Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, Rehe, Chahar, Hebei, Shanxi, and other provinces. In short, the entire area north of the Yellow River was his territory.

Marshal Zhang has more than 30 soldiers and horses under his command. Together with the provincial defense forces, local militia and incorporated troops, his number of troops is even greater, and his strength is comparable to that of his sworn brother in the south.

The Marshal put out his cigar, looked him up and down, and said in a thick Northeastern dialect:
"Are you Boss Qi?"

Qi Meng nodded. "I'm not really a boss. I'm just trying to make a living in Peking. It's a small business, not something that can be put on the table."

The captain of the guards, Guo Tianxing, came over and whispered a few words.

The Marshal looked up again, his eyes piercing:
"How long have you been in Peking?"

"Three years."

"Three years? To be able to pull off such a big business, Boss Qi is no ordinary person."

Qi Meng smiled awkwardly. If it weren't for the system's support, even if he was given thirty years, he might not be able to gain a foothold in Sijiu City.

"You have only been on the throne for three or four years. All the lands north of the Yellow River obey you. You are the true god. Compared to you, I am nothing."

Marshal Zhang tugged at the delicate mustache on his lips, and the guards around him drew their guns, full of murderous intent.

"Get out!"

The guards retreated one after another.

"Your business is huge. You've cornered almost half of the rickshaws in Beijing. I heard even the Yiguandao sect has to give you some respect."

Qi Meng chuckled and said in a hoarse voice, "Fake reputations are given by others, so don't take them seriously. Every day when you open your eyes, you see thousands of brothers eating, drinking, defecating and urinating. This is the real thing."

The Marshal fell into deep thought, staring straight at Qi Meng:

"You remind me of someone."

"Excuse me, Marshal, who is it?"

"He's not Chinese," the Marshal added. "I met a man in Sicily, Italy, Frank Costello."

As a veteran time traveler, Qi Meng certainly knew who Frank Costello was. He was the prototype of the protagonist of a certain gangster movie.

"The aura you exude, the look in your eyes, the accent you speak, are very similar to this Italian man."

"looks like?"

“It’s exactly the same.”

Marshal Zhang stared into Qi Meng's eyes.

"All the spies sent to Peking by Boss Dai were killed by you..." He stretched out his delicate white hand and made a beheading gesture towards his neck.

Qi Meng nodded without comment.

"There are indeed a few blind men who extort money, disrupt business, and do things that are detrimental to you, Marshal. The drivers under you are hot-tempered and have strong fists. They can beat someone to death with just one wrong word. As their boss, I have no choice but to help them deal with their aftermath."

Marshal Zhang smiled faintly. "I heard that before I entered the Pass, you were already using the Fengtian Army as a banner to oppose the Yiguandao sect supported by Marshal Cao. Is that true?"

Qi Meng said calmly, "Yes."

The Marshal leaned forward: "Good! Damn it! Have guts! Are you good at killing people?" "A little more than the average person."

The atmosphere around became tense.

"Three years ago, I was just a rickshaw driver, earning money by my own strength. Later, I opened a rickshaw dealership and started a serious business, operating on a small scale. The underworld is not about fighting and killing, but about human relationships and worldly wisdom."

"Social etiquette?"

Marshal Zhang pondered these words carefully and felt that there was some truth in them.

"The situation in China is becoming increasingly deteriorating. Some say it's a natural disaster, some say it's a war between warlords. I love peace and don't like the old man's tactics. I won't go to war unless I have to. Marshal Jiang is my sworn brother. We swore blood oaths and shared a life-and-death friendship. Now, he's turned against me."

"Friendship is bullshit!"

Qi Meng thought to himself: Your father was a gangster before he became famous, you have such a strong gangster spirit, and Baldy Jiang joined the Green Gang in his early years. The fact that you two are getting together is also a case of birds of a feather flock together.

Marshal Zhang seemed to be filled with deep emotion: "I don't like fighting and killing, but Baldy Chiang Kai-shek, taking advantage of my father's death, wants to stir up chaos in the North and kill everyone. How can I just sit there and wait for death?"

He cursed a few times and then asked, "What happened to the people sent from Nanjing?"

"It sank into the river."

"The Yongding River?"

"Correct."

Marshal Zhang looked at the Yongding River flowing in front of him, as if a corpse would float up from the bottom of the river in the next second.

"Where is Boss Qi from? His accent sounds like a fellow villager."

"That corner of Tieling."

Marshal Zhang clapped his hands and laughed.

"Okay, you're a tough guy who doesn't talk much. The Northeast Army needs people like you. Captain Guo has already told me about your experience in Peking. I also think that letting you drive is a waste of your talent."

"Greed, have you ever been to school?"

"Born in the year of Xinchou, attended a private school."

When Marshal Zhang heard that Qi Meng was born in the year of Xinchou (1901), he clapped his hands and laughed.

"We were born in the same year, the same year the Boxer Protocol was signed. Damn it, that's so fucking weird! What is fate? This is fate! Fine! Since we're destined to be together, you'll stay under my command from now on, and stop messing around with the rickshaw business. Become a company commander first, and when you've made contributions, I'll promote you. Well, a brave general must rise from the ranks!"

After saying that, he took out a cigar from the box and threw it over to Qi Meng, who reached out to catch it.

In order not to appear out of place, he followed Marshal Zhang in smoking, and the city wall was soon filled with smoke.

"A Brazilian merchant gave it to me in Venice. Try it. Is it as good as Hardman?"

"That's awesome." Qi Meng lit up his cigar, took a deep puff, and choked to the point of tears coming out.

Marshal Zhang laughed heartily.

Qi Meng was at a loss, because before this, he had never thought that he would end up in the Northeast Army.

In the past, he just wanted to get to Yingkou as soon as possible to get the fallen dragon bones, even if he ended up getting whale bones, to complete the task as soon as possible.

Now, he has been involved in the Central Plains War. Although the casualty rate of the two sides is only 10%, if he dies here and the mission fails, he will be helpless.

Thinking of this, he mustered up the courage to persuade: "Marshal, I have sent my friends south to persuade Marshal Jiang to make peace and let the two families put aside their hostility and stop fighting."

"Make peace?" Marshal Zhang suddenly stood up from the armchair.

"What peace talks? We haven't even started the battle yet, what's the point of talking about peace? Besides, Marshal Yan and his men are at the forefront, so why rush to talk about peace?"

Qi Meng was speechless and could only bite the bullet and say, "Marshal, I want to go to Yingkou."

"Yingkou?" The Marshal's face was filled with surprise. "What are you doing there? Are you worried about Chiang Kai-shek's troops coming from the sea?"

Qi Meng nodded quickly: "It's not impossible."

Seeing Qi Meng's hesitation, the Marshal slammed the table and said angrily:

"With the enemy at hand, we can't go anywhere! I'll give you two hundred soldiers. Tomorrow, follow the army to Kaifeng to fight Baldy Jiang!"

(End of this chapter)